Introduction

Proximity to these proud and graceful creatures almost always inspires awe in those of us fortunate enough to have the opportunity. The beauty of soft and silent wings, fierce and golden or dark and intelligent eyes, the intricate patterns of color on feathers, those fine ancient talons and beak, the mighty effort of hatching, and the playful antics of young and growing minds all inspire a great range of feeling both in those who visit and work daily amongst the birds.

Aquila – Raising a Golden Eagle

I received this five-week-old Golden Eagle chick in May of 1999. He was found on the ground, very emaciated, with severe wounds to the back on 4/11/99, he was cared for by a rehabilitator in Delta, Colorado, and flown here yesterday. She did a beautiful job caring for the bird-he tripled in size under her care. Upon admission the bird was placed in a kennel facing the “Fugitive,” an adult Golden who is recovering quite well from his fractured femur.

Adam and his Wacky Friend

In the fall of 2004 we received a beautiful 20-year old Bald Eagle. He had lived at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal for the majority of his captive life and needed a new home. Other facilities give their birds regal names, such as Liberty, Spirit, Lady, and we have Adam, the name he came with.

Adam knows his name and he responds to it. He had been shot 21 years

The Gladiators

In the spring of 2005 a lady observed the aerial combat of two Bald Eagles in a field north of Boulder. After numerous violent physical interactions the birds ended up on the ground with their talons locked into each other’s bodies.

Snowstorm

As a hawk swoops overhead, Sigrid Ueblacker, president of the Birds of Prey Foundation, points out the damage to the large flight cage that held injured hawks in need of rehabilitation.Last month’s snowstorm destroyed the roof of the cage, releasing 34 hawks.

The Windwalker

In January of 2002 we released a beautiful Lady Eagle south of Boulder on Open Space property. She was found just east of the release site under a power line, that was still vibrating from the impact that grounded the fatally injured bird with a fractured ulna and radius in her wing. The man who found the mortally wounded eagle was a Native American, Nick Conda–Yellow Hands. Hours after her arrival Nick became a familiar and well-received guest and comforter of the eagle.

Mayflower

Hello, my name is Mayflower. I’m a baby Great Horned Owl.
My mother had a nest in a tree that humans wanted to cut down to build a road. They took away our home and the place she chose to raise her family. I will never, ever know my mother, but I think I will be just like her. While I was working hard to make my way out of my egg, my new human foster Mom did something special. She planted a tree for the one that was our home and was cut down. It will give a home and life to many birds and animals …

The Eagle Sang

How is it that wild creatures seem to sense our feelings, our kind intentions, and respond to them in unusual and subtle ways? If we begin to pay attention to the stories they have to tell us, we may find some of our long lost senses and instincts, and begin to understand our magnificent wild friends. When Elaine and I carried the crate with the wounded bald eagle into the room and I opened the door, I knew a rough night was ahead of me. The magnificent bird had her wing twisted and …

Helping People Helping Us

A few summers ago a quiet young man came to our facility to work. I don’t even remember his name. But I remember him for who he was and what he said. He brought all the necessary paperwork from the courts. He chose our facility to volunteer for community service. He was assigned the job of cleaning and caring for the rabbits each Sunday morning. It appeared that he liked caring for these gentle soft-eyed creatures.

A Mother’s Love

It was early that cold Saturday morning. I was making my morning check of the owlet who had, just 4 days earlier, fallen out of the nest. The owlet was still too young to fly but had the ability to climb. With mama’s coaxing, it found a refuge from the coyotes, people and dogs that inhabit the area. We knew that mama owl was still feeding the “little wayward one” who had taken up residence in another tree…

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