Raptor rehabbers

Birds of prey are such magnificent creatures. Eagles are stately, hawks are the epitome of patience, osprey are fishers extraordinaire, falcons are grace and speed combined in deadly form and owls are about the coolest birds there are. These birds often are referred to as raptors, “raptor” being a variant of the Latin word for “seize.” Raptors make the job of seizing prey look easy in some cases, spectacular in others. The magnificence of these birds makes their illness or injury seem all the more horrific to our human sensibilities, and the death of such a bird is cause for genuine sadness in the heart of novice and naturalist alike.

So, when one of these members of feathered royalty is threatened, there are those who do everything possible to bring that bird back to health and freedom.

As a volunteer in college and as a part of my career as a veterinarian, I have worked with a number of these people, and I have seen firsthand their passion for and devotion to these birds of prey.

They respond immediately, day or night, in any season, to a report of a downed bird. They get it the medical attention it needs; then they spend weeks or months getting the bird ready to be released back into the wild with the best possible chance of long-term survival despite its brush with death – and notwithstanding its disdain for its rescuers.

These people who work at rehabilitating these birds for their anticipated release are called “raptor rehabilitators,” or “rehabbers.”

We have a group of them in North Idaho who work together under the direction of veteran rehabber and raptor biologist Jane Cantwell.

Her organization is Birds of Prey Northwest, headquartered in St. Maries.

Cantwell owns property at the head of Wolf Lodge Bay on Lake Coeur d’Alene that one day is to house a state-of-the-art raptor rehabilitation and teaching center.

In the meantime, the organization is busy taking care of birds in need from all over North Idaho and northeastern Washington.

The task is daunting, even before the birds arrive. To work with federally protected birds of prey requires mounds of paperwork and licensing from both state and federal agencies – and all the bureaucrats who keep those agencies running. Then there are medical supplies, food (mice, fish and other smelly items), housing, latrine duty and all the rest that goes into taking care of birds in need.

In January, as it does each winter, Birds of Prey Northwest treated several bald eagles, which eventually died of lead poisoning.

Being winter scavengers, both golden and bald eagles suffer from this problem because of ingestion of lead-contaminated remains from the fall big-game seasons.

Even tiny fragments of lead from bullets exploding inside a target animal are enough to poison an eagle or any other animal foraging on what is left behind.

In 2006 alone, Birds of Prey Northwest cared for 70 birds – 68 raptors, a raven and a loon. Almost three-quarters of these had been injured when hit by a motor vehicle.

More than a third have been released back into the wild successfully, but another third were either so sick or so badly injured that they died or had to be euthanized.

When the birds die or have to be killed, the rehabbers cry real tears. They had been up in the night treating the birds and spent their days feeding them and loving them from a distance (always, the goal is to release the birds one day, so their charges are not allowed to become tame).

However, along with the hard work, long hours and periodic heartbreak, there are some huge rewards.

Of course, the ultimate is the release of a recovered bird.

But there also is the parade of incredible wildlife passing through Birds of Prey Northwest.

Last year’s birds included golden and bald eagles, 25 osprey including 12 destined to be released in South Dakota, four species of hawks, three species of falcons and an unbelievable six species of owls, including a whole nest of barn owls and a beautiful but rare snowy owl.

It’s a wonderful thing these Birds of Prey Northwest people do for these wonderful birds.

The magnificence of the raptors is matched by the caring of the rehabbers, who have devoted so much to the well-being of our beloved birds of prey here in the Northwest.