Raptor Program – Audubon Center of North Woods Presenters – Jeff Tyson & Jennifer from The Eagle Center The birds who reside at the Audubon Center cannot return to the wild due to mental and/or physical limitation. Birds of Prey all have 3 characteristics:

• Hook Beak - ripping and tearing • Talons – grasp and carry away • Huge eyes – incredible sight

American Kestrel Falcon – bobbing , long tail, 5-6 oz. Can fly 20-35 mph, Paragon Falcons can hit 90 mph while diving Females are larger than males Diet – Dragonflies, Mice Grab with talons, and then use a special toenail to break the neck of their prey They see in UV spectrum Unique in that they can keep their head perfectly still and can hover Spots under their eyes act to block out the sun They use their middle toe to grab other birds, some as large as a Blue Jay American Kestrel gained notoriety by nesting at Target Field They are cavity nesters so nest boxes are successful Their habitat is all across the US Great Horned Owls Nocturnal birds, which hunt and then rest for part of the night Their camouflage coloring helps them blend into the tree bark They have a very round head and will raise up their tuffs to blend in They are referred to as “Flying Tigers” as they can capture earthworms to Osprey When spotted by crows, the crows will begin to caw to announce the owl’s presence Humans can turn their head 70% and have 7 vertebrae. Owls have 14 vertebrae and can turn their head 270 degrees. Owls can hear rodents tunneling under the snow. Owls have fringed edges on their wings to silence their flights so they can hear their prey Owls have 3 toes in front and 1 in back, and can rotate toes when perching, 2 and 2. They are tree top to tree top hunters Small owls nest in tree cavities

Page Two Recap of July 27 – Raptor Program Owls, continued 7 to 22 hours after they eat, owls will cough out a pellet containing the bones of dinner. The Great Horn Owl from the Audubon Center was hit by a car in Albertville and as a result the left wing drupes, while the right wing is held close to the body. Liter on the side of the road tends to draw the attention of birds which puts them at risk to being hit by cars Red-tailed Hawks This bird is a very large Red-tailed Hawk compared to most. They can shoot their poop 5 feet! Broad-winged Hawks are observed circling in the thermals. Because hot air rises they are carried higher and higher in the thermals, up to 3 miles. Accipiters can travel at high speeds and are bird eating, they may be around birdfeeders Cooper Hawks – 1 out of 16 attempts will result before they catch and eat a song bird Red-tailed Hawks are not picky; they will eat squirrels and rabbits They are nicknamed Chicken Hawks They may be observed sitting on light posts or fence posts Many don’t live past the first year, but they can live up to 15 yrs in the wild In captivity they can live up to 30 years This hawk lives at the Center due to being shot in North Dakota in 1991 and is unable to fold her left wing in, so she is cannot fly. Ospreys are fish catchers. They have specialized feet to pick up fish, due to suction type things on their feet to hold the fish. They have been observed turning the fish so it is facing forward as they fly, aerodynamically effective. Eagles are scavenger feeders