Raptor Release-Spring 2013.indd - University of Minnesota College ...

Spring 2013Raptor ReleaseThe Raptor CenterEnsuring the health of raptors and the world we shareIn this issue of Raptor ReleaseHuman-Raptor Connections: What’s Next for TRC?Tales from the Trauma Center: Coffee Shop OwlBook Reviews: Returning to NatureMark Your Calendar: Spring Raptor Release

HUMAN-RAPTOR CONNECTIONSThe next generationofThe Raptor CenterBy Fran HowardIn 1974, when Dr. Pat Redig andDr. Gary Duke began treating sick andinjured raptors on the University ofMinnesota St. Paul Campus, the bald eagleand peregrine falcon had just been listedas endangered under the 1973 EndangeredSpecies Act due to persecution andenvironmental contaminants. At thattime, few people knew much about thephysiology and health needs of raptors.“We were the right people at the right timein the right place,” says Dr. Pat Redig, cofounderof the The Raptor Center (TRC).Today, populations of both the bald eagleand the peregrine falcon have recovered,yet TRC remains at the center of theworld’s accelerating environmentalissues affecting the health of raptors,other wildlife, and humans. Amongwildlife rehabilitation centers, TRC playsa leading role because it is the largest,most advanced wildlife rehabilitationfacility connected with a major university.This synergetic relationship gives TRC adistinct advantage in its critical work touncover the links between ecosystem andraptor health, train the next generation ofavian and wildlife specialists, and pressfor environmental changes that benefitraptors, other wildlife, and humans.The early daysRedig hired student workers to helpmaintain TRC’s early operations, butTRC’s pioneering work also attractedveterinary students interested in wildlifemedicine. Many were willing to help outin return for training. Some veterinarianseven traveled halfway around the worldto be part of what was then a burgeoningenvironmental movement. In 1985, twoveterinarians from France contactedThis 1985 newspaper clipping shows Drs. PatRedig and Bud Tordoff atop the Multifoods Towerin Minneapolis. Redig holds one of the fi rst captivebredperegrine falcon chicks to be released in adowntown area as part of the Midwest PeregrineFalcon Restoration Project.Redig, saying they wanted to train at TRC.Soon veterinarians from Spain came tostudy. Eventually TRC launched a formalinternational training program.About the same time, Redig and Dr.Harrison (Bud) Tordoff, director emeritusof the University’s Bell Museum of NaturalHistory, released young captive-bredperegrine falcons at Weaver Dunes nearKellogg, Minnesota. In 1985, the programbegan releasing birds in the Twin Citiesmetro-area downtowns. The watersheddecision to release birds in the urban landscapehelped establish an urban populationof peregrines, which became an incubationpopulation for birds eventually reintroducedto the species’ historical nestingsites on cliffs along the Mississippi River.TRC’s work in teaching, environmentaloutreach, and veterinary medical researchhad only begun, yet much of the earlywork laid the foundation for its currentinitiatives.An expanding reputationToday, the College of Veterinary Medicineoffers its senior veterinary students theoption of a two-week clinical rotation inraptor surgery and medicine. The collegealso offers veterinary students from otheruniversities the opportunity to enroll in amulti-week clinical rotation through TRC.TRC’s international program forveterinarians has grown impressively. Intotal, more than 300 veterinarians from 26countries have studied at TRC.“Many have gone back to their homecountries to develop their own version ofThe Raptor Center,” says Redig.As the reputation of TRC spreadthroughout the world, so, too, did theworld’s desire for knowledge.“We continue to get international requeststo teach around the world,” says Dr. JuliaPonder, executive director. “And we aretalking more and more about conservationissues, environmental issues, and the roleof veterinary medicine at those sessions.”This April, Ponder will give a presentationon conservation medicine at the annualconference of the European Association ofAvian Veterinarians in Germany.“Since the availability of Internettechnology, all of us at The Raptor Centerhave been involved in responding toe-mail inquiries from around the world,”Redig notes.3

HUMAN-RAPTOR CONNECTIONSDr. Pat Redig conducted surgery on a bald eaglewith Dr. Jalila Abu, a veterinarian from Malaysia,in the late ‘90s. Abu was a veterinary resident atThe Raptor Center from 1996-2002, earning herPhD in the use of bone grafts to repair fractures inavian species. She returned to Malaysia to teach.Photo by Sue KirchoffTRC has also started to directly involvethe public in conservation issues throughcitizen science projects like Kestrel Watch,a Web-based project designed to monitorAmerican kestrel populations throughouttheir range in an effort to better understandwhy populations are declining.Another TRC project is the ClinicalWildlife Health Initiative. This networkof professionally staffed wildliferehabilitation centers tracks populationand health data of wild animals through anInternet-based data management programto determine the links between changesin the environment and disease andinjury in wildlife. Each animal admittedto wildlife centers becomes a data pointfor researchers to better understandenvironmental contaminants and how theyaffect wildlife.A larger visionTRC’s work in rehabilitation and itsfocus on the health of individual birdshas resulted in a wealth of knowledge andrich datasets that can be applied at a muchbroader level: how the health of raptorpopulations is intricately linked with thewell-being of all species and the overallstate of the environment.“From all perspectives—research,teaching, and outreach—we are movingmore toward populations to make sureour work has a broad impact,” saysPonder, who recently participated in thesecond phase of an ongoing project inthe Galápagos Islands. TRC has providedcritical care and management expertise toprotect the Galápagos hawk populationduring a rat eradication program there.This groundbreaking project is TRC’s firstin the Southern Hemisphere.TRC’s research focus is also expandingin the areas of infectious diseasesand environmental contaminants andtoxicology.“Research can provide us with thetools to better understand and addressimmunotoxicity,” says Redig. “Theimmune system is one of most importantinterfaces with the environment.”Chemicals introduced into theenvironment can impair the ability ofthe immune system to fight disease.In addition, TRC’s long history ofoutreach and education positions theresearch faculty to play a larger, morevital role in recommending changes inbehavior or policy that result in healthierenvironments, including reducingor eliminating the use of lead-basedammunition, the single biggest cause oflead toxicity in bald eagles.Technology is also allowing TRC to reachout to larger groups with more in-depth,evocative programs.“Rather than have a program for everyclass in K through 12, we are focusing onmiddle-school students with a nine-monthenvironmental program,” says Ponder.“We want to build on that program anddevelop more in-depth classes to offer,both locally and through distance learning,based on science and real-time cases andissues in the clinic.”The nine-month program strives toeducate young minds about the humanimpact on the environment, with the goalof changing behaviors in ways that reduceenvironmental degradation—ultimatelyimproving the health of raptors, otherwildlife, and humans. It will be taught inthree Minnesota schools this year.TRC is also developing a relationship withwildlife organizations in Taiwan and hopesto build on the College of VeterinaryMedicine’s new partner initiatives withuniversities in Thailand and Africa,helping to build capacity in wildlifemedicine and ecosystem health.Moving beyond the individual to look atecosystems and populations in a largersense—how the health of raptors andother wildlife is intertwined with thehealth of the global environment—whilediscovering critical information from theday-to-day struggles of the individual birdis the next-generation TRC.“The Raptor Center is becoming partof a larger whole at the University,looking at global issues having to do withorganisms, habitat preservation, and theglobal environment,” says Redig, whostill marvels at how TRC’s reputation hasmigrated across oceans, continents, andspecies.Fran Howard is a Saint Paul-basedfreelance writer.Interpretive naturalist Mike Billington introduces aperegrine falcon to a group of students at RockfordMiddle School. The Raptor Center now offers anine-month program about the human impact onthe environment.4

By Lori ArentRAPTOR WATCHINGTALES FROM THE TRAUMA CENTERWinter turn, turn, turns to springAs the sun’s increasing warmthenvelops pale, winter skin, andthe light of day lingers longer,the lyrics of a well-known song come tomind: “To everything, turn, turn, turn,there is a season, turn, turn, turn, and atime to every purpose under heaven.”Ironically, the song is by The Byrds.Seasonal changes either roar in like alion or enter quietly like a lamb, and theclinic must be ready to adapt to whateverMother Nature brings.Last winter, TRC flight crews never reallytook a winter hiatus. Birds were exercisedand released throughout the wintermonths as weather allowed. This winterwas a different story. From the 15-inchsnowfall in early December to the 10-inchsnowfall in early March, most flight crewswere “on vacation” as patients awaitedadequate conditions to begin their finalphase of rehabilitation. The eagle flightcrews were the exception. TRC onlyreleases eagles during the winter months,so dedicated volunteers often brave cold,windy, snowy conditions to prepare eaglesfor release. The clinic over-winteredapproximately 60 patients, compared to35 the previous winter.In March, TRC experienced a rareoccurrence, treating and housing ninespecies of owls concurrently. Speciesrepresented were the northern saw-whetowl, eastern screech owl, boreal owl,long-eared owl, short-eared owl, barredowl, great horned owl, great gray owl, andsnowy owl.As the winter days grew longer, clinicstaff began thinking about the upcomingbaby season and what it would bring.Traditionally, the earliest raptor nesterin Minnesota is the great horned owl.Typically, these owls lay eggs at the endof January or beginning of Februaryand incubate them during the harshestperiod of Minnesota’s winter. This year,however, there were surprising reports ofearly nesting bald eagles. The MinnesotaThis great gray owl landed on a customer’s car in the drive-through of a Twin Cities Caribou Coffee inFebruary. After a few weeks of treatment at The Raptor Center, he was released in northern Minnesota.Photo by Amber BurnetteDepartment of Natural Resources put awebcam on an eagle nest in the metro areaand discovered that the female laid eggsduring the first week of January.Waking up at CaribouImagine having a few extra minutes beforeyou need to get to work and decidingto stop at Caribou Coffee for a muchneededcaffeinated beverage. While you’rewaiting in the drive-through, a large greatgray owl swoops in and lands on your car.Maybe you no longer need that coffee towake up.This actually happened to a woman fromPlymouth, Minnesota, in late February.By the time a TRC volunteer arrived atthe scene, the owl was no longer restingon the car but was perched precariouslyon a nearby handicap parking sign—howappropriate.A physical exam showed the male owl,TRC case 13-061, experienced some typeof collision. He suffered from mild headtrauma and was only able to fly low forshort distances. He was also a little thin,no doubt finding hunting in HennepinCounty a bit challenging. After a fewweeks of supportive care and a briefreprieve from the harsh winter weather,the owl was given a lift north, headinghim in the direction of his summer homein the boreal, or taiga, forests of northernlatitudes.Lori Arent is the clinic manager at TRCand author of Raptors in Captivity,Guidelines for Care and Management,available at www.TheRaptorCenter.org.2012 in reviewLast year, 786 sick or injured wildbirds were admitted to TRC’s clinic.The top five species were:Red-tailed hawk 166Cooper’s hawk 126Bald eagle 119Great horned owl 103Broad-winged hawk 58Nearly 50 birds were admitted withlead toxicity. Of the total number ofbald eagles admitted, 36 percent hadlead toxicity. By species, birds withlead toxicity were:Bald eagle 43Turkey vulture 3Great horned owl 1Red-tailed hawk 15

FUND DEVELOPMENTNew and creative ways to giveBy Amber BurnetteThe Raptor Center depends on giftsof time and money to continueits critical work. Here are just afew examples of how the community,volunteers, interns, and students havehelped TRC over the past six months.“Both my parents were very activevolunteering in the community,” Cooksays. “It’s hard to believe I’ve beenvolunteering at The Raptor Center foralmost 40 years. I had always wanted tosupport The Raptor Center financially butwas never in a position to do so. Quiteunexpectedly, I won a contest and receiveda small windfall. I knew this was mychance to make a gift to a place I trulylove and which has become an importantpart my life and my legacy. Donating onGive to the Max day was a real honor andtreat for me.”Shatz’s often go to help fund programs forschools that would not be able to fund aprogram without aid.Give to the MaxGive to the Max Day, November 15, 2012,resulted in 380 donors and more than$52,347 in donations to TRC. Rachel andDenny Hollstadt and the Sarah J. AndersenFund of the Hugh J. Andersen Foundationprovided a match of $52,000, bringingTRC’s total to more than $100,000. TRC’sonline auction in December raised anadditional $3,500 in funds.People who keep on givingMalcolm and Sally McRobertsDeluxe Corporation employee MalcolmMcRoberts and his wife, Sally, aneducation and clinic crew volunteer andformer environmental education intern,came up with a very creative way tosupport TRC. They purchased two privateprograms, along with the adoption of awinged ambassador bird for each program,to offer at a Deluxe auction to benefit theUnited Way. Not only did they supportthe United Way and TRC’s educationdepartment, but they also introducedDeluxe employees to the concept thatraptors help people understand and carefor a shared environment.Miki CookVolunteerism has always been a part ofMiki Cook’s life. Recently, however, theSaturday clinic volunteer expanded theway she gives.Brittany SchatzA former TRC marketing intern andUniversity of Minnesota alumna, BrittanySchatz recently donated to TRC, andshared her thoughts when the Universityof Minnesota Foundation reached out tothank her.“I was so excited to be called by thefoundation because I used to do that,too,” says Schatz. “The Raptor Center leftsuch a huge impression on me and on mycollege experience, and I know firsthandabout all of the awesome work The RaptorCenter does for the community. I feel likegiving to The Raptor Center is kind of likegiving to multiple organizations becauseof how many people it reaches.” Gifts likeRecycling for RaptorsStarted in 2003, this volunteerrunprogram helps individuals andorganizations recycle their inkjet printercartridges while raising funds to supportTRC. To help reduce postage expenses,TRC has published a map of public dropofflocations for used cartridges. Go towww.TheRaptorCenter.org > Support/Get Involved > Recycling for Raptors tofind a convenient drop-off location. Orbring used cartridges to the Spring RaptorRelease on May 4. Since September 2003,143,000 cartridges have been recycled.Amber Burnette is program associate forTRC.Grow a legacyYou have deep roots at The Raptor Center. You can continue to nurture your areaof interest at TRC far into the future with a planned gift:• Bequest in a will or trust• Naming The Raptor Center as a benefi ciary of retirement assets or life insurance• Gifts that provide an income to you or othersFor more information, contact Bill Venne, chief development offi cer, at 612-625-8480 orvenne025@umn.edu.6

EDUCATIONEducating the next generationBy Gail Buhl and Amber BurnetteOutreach and education are coreelements of TRC’s mission. Lastyear, TRC’s education departmentpresented 534 off-site programs, reaching136,084 people. In addition, 19,989people attended on-site programs at TRC’sfacility on the University of MinnesotaSaint Paul Campus.Darner, The Raptor Center’s new ambassador, withan image of a green darner dragonfl y, a commonprey of American kestrels (inset).A new ambassadorTRC has a new ambassador: Darner, afemale American kestrel. Green darnerdragonflies—a common prey of Americankestrels—migrate from the UpperMidwest to Texas and Mexico, and kestrelmigration corresponds to the movementof the dragonflies. Darner migration giveskestrels an opportunity for “fast food”while traveling along the migration route.Darner hatched in 2009. She was foundnear Austin, Minnesota, and is blind inher right eye and cannot vocalize. Theseinjuries prevent her from successfullyliving in the wild, and she has become aneducation ambassador.Opportunities to help throughKestrel WatchIn Spring 2009, TRC launched a Webbasedcitizen-science project calledKestrel Watch to collect information onkestrel sightings through public input. TheKestrel Watch website offers identificationtips, information on the species’ naturalhistory, and answers to commonly askedquestions about kestrels. To report asighting, look for the kestrel icon atwww.TheRaptorCenter.org.Training the next generation ofenvironmentalistsTRC’s new yearlong curriculum,originally piloted at Rockford MiddleSchool, has expanded to two additionalmiddle schools, Hidden Oaks and TwinOaks, both in Prior Lake, Minnesota.The core of the new curriculum allowsstudents to explore the real-world problemof lead poisoning in bald eagles. Studentsare asked to play the role of wildlife healthbiologists in charge of assessing TRCdata on lead exposure in bald eagles forthe fictional Minnesota Department ofEnvironmental Health.For the first half of the school year,students track and graph real-time leadlevels in bald eagle blood samples. In thesecond half of the year, they analyze theircharts and graphs, using them as evidenceto explain whether there is exposure,if it is causing harm, and if the datasuggest a possible cause. This real-world,real-time, inquiry-based curriculum ishelping schools promote environmentalliteracy while providing opportunitiesfor students to develop skills in criticalthinking, problem solving, teamwork, andcommunication.Tech-savvy generation of YouthRaptor CorpsTRC’s youth service-learning club, YouthRaptor Corps, has had such an enthusiasticDr. Irene Bueno discusses raptor anatomy with agroup of students from Rockford Middle School.The students are working with cadaver birds.and devoted following that a new learningopportunity has been created. The pastgroup of Youth Raptor Corps enthusiastschose to demonstrate their learning bycreating YouTube videos to teach othersabout raptors. In small groups, thestudents researched a particular raptor andchose several facts to highlight in riddleform. Then, using iPads, they recordedtheir facts and added background music.Go to TRC’s YouTube Channel (www.TheRaptorCenter.org > Just for Fun >YouTube Channel) to access the videos.Making ACES of them allIn partnership with Athletes Committedto Educating Students (ACES), TRCprovides programming and learningopportunities for at-risk students whoengage in service-learning projects that, inturn, help TRC. The mission of ACES is toclose the academic achievement gap of atriskurban students in grades four througheight. Past projects have included makingraptor lunch boxes (props for teachingwhat raptors eat), puzzles for the children'sarea at TRC, and giant owl pellets, whichare used in programs to demonstrate howowls eat their food whole and how theremains of their prey can be found withinthe pellets.Gail Buhl is the education programmanager at TRC. Amber Burnette is TRC’sprogram associate.7

BOOK REVIEWSReturning to natureThe Nature PrincipleBy Richard LouvAlgonquin Books, 2011, $24.95Sharing Nature with ChildrenBy Joseph CornellDawn Publications, 20th AnniversaryEdition, 1998, $9.95By Sue McCarthyThis past winter, newspapers werereplete with articles about thecommunity’s relationship with natureand its stewardship of the environment.One featured a resident risking a ticketby seeking to walk in a section of apark restricted to snowmobiles. Othersreported on citizen concerns about theenvironmental impact of fracking, andanother featured a movement to encourageparents to lobby local schools for moreoutdoor recess time for elementary-agedchildren. These articlesrelate closely to The NaturePrinciple, by RichardLouv, and Sharing Naturewith Children, by JosephCornell. Both books detailhow present and futuregenerations can gain asense of belonging tothe natural world andrespond as stewards ofthe environment.My Side of the MountainBy Jean Craighead GeorgeDutton Children’s Books, 1959, $6.99By Sue McCarthySam Gribley packed a penknife, a ballof cord, an ax, some flint and steel, and$40 and left New York City by train,heading to the Catskill Mountains. Hewas running away.Sam narrates hisstory about livingon “his side ofthe mountain.”He arrives in theCatskills andrealizes he is onhis own—no food,no shelter, nofriends or adultsto help him—but he is a good problem solver. Samalso knows how to research and findsanswers to his questions at the library.(This book was published in 1959,before computers and the Internet.) Samdescribes his first night: “I don’t think Islept fifteen minutes, and I was so scaredand tired that my throat was dry… So Isat tight, and shivered and shook—andnow I am able to say—I cried a little tinybit.”My Side of the Mountain, by JeanCraighead George, a Newbery HonorBook, is considered a classic. At first,George had trouble getting her editorto publish a story about a boy runningaway to live in the woods, but after somereflection, the editor agreed that a storyabout a boy running to the woods wasbetter than one about a child running tothe city.Sam shares his inner thoughts abouthis frustrations, fears, joys, mistakes,and achievements as he solves theproblems of everyday life in the woods.He introduces the reader to Baron theweasel, Jesse C. James the raccoon,Barometer the nuthatch, and mostimportant, Frightful the peregrine falcon.An elementary to middle-school readerwith an interest in falconry or the naturalworld will delight in reading abouthow Sam trains Frightful, and how shebecomes his constant companion. Samalso shares what he learns about catchingfish, tanning leather, starting fires,picking mushrooms, making salt, findingnatural foods, and living close to nature.After 54 years, Sam’s story still hasn’tlost its appeal.In The Nature Principle, Louv offerssuggestions on how adults benefit froma closer relationship with nature andthe environment, cites examples of therestorative power of nature, and proposesactions that support the theory that a“reconnection to the natural world isfundamental to human health, well-being,spirit, and survival.” In a previous book,Louv coined the phrase “nature-deficitdisorder” to describe children’s growingisolation from the natural world. Louvcontinues in that tradition in The NaturePrinciple by coining new terms, including“vitamin N” to explain nature therapy fordisease prevention and treatment and “renaturing”to refer to living and working ina natural environment to promote physicaland mental well-being. The authorproposes a “three-ring theory” as a wayto achieve his ideas for cultural change,which involves organizations, volunteersand docents, and a social network ofassociations, individuals, and familiesreaching out to others to arrange familynature clubs, gardening clubs, and buttonparks (small neighborhood spaces thathave been re-natured).Sharing Nature with Children is a compactguide filled with many ideas for natureinterpreters—parents, grandparents,caregivers, day-care leaders, teachers,camp counselors, and others. JosephCornell begins with a few suggestions forgood teaching, but this quote seems to sayit all: “Children seldomforget a direct experience.”Two wonderful activitiesCornell describes are“Sounds and Colors” and“The Unnatural Trail.”The first promotes the useof senses, and the secondintroduces the concept ofcamouflage. Both can bedone with preschoolers and older childrenand are easy to set up. But most important,these activities help promote what Cornellcalls a teacher’s most important asset—asense of joy.Sue McCarthy is a TRC educationvolunteer.8

Next-generation researchBy Dr. Julia Ponder and AmberBurnetteCONSERVATION/RESEARCHDecades ago, conservationresearchers would collect (or kill)birds as a way to study them andhelp preserve a species. This primitiveform of conservation research has beenreplaced with high-tech observationand intervention methods that helpconservationists better understand aspecies’ behavior and restore nativeecosystems.Nest cameras are among the newgeneration of information-gatheringtechnologies that allow researchers tolearn more about the natural histories ofraptor species. In the past, field personnelwould spend hundreds of hours recordingfood drops and identifying prey itemsraptor parents brought in to the chicks.Today, these same researchers just needa laptop and Internet access. Informationabout how often a parent turns the eggsand interactions among raptor siblings arenow easily seen with a nest cam.In addition to the detailed informationresearchers can gather from nest camsto build a more robust understandingof raptor biology, schools can design acurriculum around what happens at thenest. For example, the curriculum couldinclude ecology (how prey items relateto the environment) and elements ofphenology (timing of nesting, breeding,and rearing life cycles).While the use of nest cams to educate thepublic about raptors is a wonderful newresearch tool, nest cams must be placedin such as way as to not interfere withthe activities of the birds, and researchersmust abide by ethical and legal guidelines.Increasing awareness through the useof nest cams will, no doubt, engenderemotional attachments to the individualsand families on display. Starvation oran injury to the chicks or parents canbe difficult to watch. It is important toremember, though, that there are legalDr. Julia Ponder’s workwith Galapgos hawks isalso benefi tting otherspecies. On the Islandof Rábida, membersof the monitoring teamrecently documentedthe presence of twospecies—a land snailand a gecko—previouslythought to be extinct.implications for intervention, as well asthe possibility of causing injury or extremestress to the rest of the raptor family. Wildraptors face survival challenges throughouttheir lives.Another next-generation conservationmethod that TRC was recently involvedwith took place on the island of Pinzón inthe Galápagos Islands last December. TheGalápagos Islands are globally recognizedfor their unique and abundant biodiversity.Invasive species, including rats introducedby humans 150 years ago, are the greatestthreat to that biodiversity. The introducedrats have wreaked havoc on the nativeecosystem and prevented the Pinzón gianttortoise from reproducing in its naturalenvironment for more than 150 years. Therestoration project involved removinginvasive rodents from Pinzón, which isexpected to provide a significant benefit tothe Pinzón ecosystem, including restoringthe natural recruitment (successfulreproduction) of the tortoises.TRC led the effort to trap residentGalápagos hawks on Pinzón andtemporarily manage them in captivity,protecting them from being exposed torodenticide while hunting the rats.Dr. Julia Ponder, executive director,and Gail Buhl, education manager,successfully managed 60 individuals(estimated to be 12 percent of the knownpopulation of the species) in captivity.Blood for future genetics tests was taken,and before release, individuals werebanded and/or outfitted with transmittersto allow post-release monitoring.Continued monitoring will be conductedto learn more about the impact of theseefforts.In 2010, Ponder and Lori Arent, clinicmanager, were part of similar effortson Rábida Island. Follow-up work hasbeen done on Rábida, and the reports areencouraging. In addition to confirmingthat the rodents are gone, members ofthe monitoring team documented thepresence of two species—a land snail anda gecko—that were previously thought tobe extinct. Presumably their populationsare growing, thanks to the elimination ofthe threat of rodent predation.Dr. Julia Ponder is TRC’s executivedirector, and Amber Burnette is programassociate.9

AROUND THE RAPTOR CENTERStaff newsDr. Carol Ewbank completed herinternship and returned to Brazil to furtherher studies in conservation medicine.Dr. Ling-Min Wang, from Taiwan,joined TRC as a clinical intern in March.Wang isn’t entirely new to TRC: Sheattended TRC’s Avian Orthopedic andBasic Raptor Rehabilitation workshopsin 2011. She then arranged for Dr. JuliaPonder and Dr. Michelle Willette togive presentations at the Avian ClinicalTechniques Workshop hosted by theEndemic Species Research Institute andSouth East Asian Zoos Association inTaiwan in 2012.ResearchThe College of Veterinary Medicine’sSummer Scholars Program gives firstandsecond-year veterinary students anopportunity to participate in researchprojects related to veterinary, animal, andhuman health initiatives. This summer,TRC will direct several Summer Scholarsprojects, including establishing normalcoagulation parameters in red-tailed hawksin preparation for continued researchon rodenticide studies (anticoagulanttoxicity); establishing baseline metricsfor immune function in raptors as pilotwork for studying impacts of contaminantson the immune system; continuing lastsummer’s work with Dr. Patrick Redigstudying Newcastle virus in wild birds andeggs; and a clinical wildlife health projectlooking at what kinds of information canbe gleaned from wild animals presentedfor rehabilitation.Redig was recently instrumental indrafting and introducing language forconsideration by the Committee onEnvironmental Issues of the AmericanVeterinary MedicalAssociation. Thelanguage would putthe organizationof some 80,000veterinarians onrecord as recognizingthe hazards of spentlead ammunition andfishing tackle andDr. Pat Redigrecommend changingto alternatives. The Association of AvianVeterinarians and The Wildlife Societyhave adopted similar policies.In January, Redig and Dr. Irene Buenoattended the annual planning meeting ofthe Minnesota Department of NaturalResources nongame program staff todiscuss several strategies that could beimplemented at the state level in 2013 toencourage use of alternative ammunition.In February and March, Bueno spentfive weeks on a research project atEcoHealth Alliance. She was received ascholarship from EcoHealthNet, of whichthe University of Minnesota is a part.Her focus is on the implications and risksthat wildlife trade—specifically rodentsimported to the United States—might haveon public health.On the roadDr. Julia Ponder represented TRC at aworkshop at The Peregrine Fund in Boise,Idaho, to explore research opportunitiesfor a new initiative called the AmericanKestrel Partnership. Created in responseto long-term population declines of thespecies in North America, the projectinvolves unifying the data-generatingcapacity of citizen scientists with theresearch expertise of professionalscientists to advance conservation of theAmerican kestrel.Dr. Michelle Willettepresented “DistractionOsteogenesis inTwo Wild RaptorSpecies” at theAmerican Associationof ZoologicalVeterinariansconference inOakland, California,Dr. Michelle Willettein October. InNovember, she presented “Trauma andCritical Care at The Raptor Center”at the American Association forLaboratory Animal Science conference inMinneapolis.Events and workshopsThe Fall Raptor Release was heldSeptember 24 at Carpenter St. CroixValley Nature Center, in Hastings,Minnesota. Sandy Rosso released aCooper's hawk; Tucker Reeck andWinkie Coyne released broad-wingedhawks; Paul Keel and Paula Buchnerreleased bald eagles; and Tracy Elftmannreleased a peregrine falcon.Nineteen participants took part in the fourdayworkshop, Care and Managementof Captive Raptors, in October. Theworkshop introduced both novice andexpert bird managers to the finer points ofcaring for and maintaining captive raptorsfor educational purposes.Dr. Pat Redig gave a presentation onTRC’s research on bald eagles andlead poisoning at the annual MinnesotaOrnithologists’ Union paper session atthe Bell Museum of Natural History inDecember. He and others from TRC taughttwo spring semester courses through theCollege of Veterinary Medicine: AvianMedicine and Surgery and NontraditionalPets. In April, the companion birdrotation helped veterinary studentsdevelop proficiency in basic avian clinicaltechniques; improve their knowledgeof important avian issues, includingconservation status; and become familiarwith the companion bird industry, thebirds, and the people who buy, sell, trade,breed, fly, and otherwise keep them.Mike Billington presented “AMicroscopic Look at Contour Feathersfrom a Bald Eagle, Barn Owl, PeregrineFalcon, and Blue and Yellow Macaw” atthe annual International Association ofAvian Trainers and Educators conferencein Tampa, Florida, in February.At the Duke Lecture on October 10,Dr. Scott Lanyon, head of the Departmentof Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior,led the audience on an exploration ofhow scientists study the evolutionaryrelationships of life on Earth. The DukeLecture Series was started in 2006 byDr. William H. and Mary E. Hollemanand pays tribute to Dr. Gary Duke’s workand legacy at TRC and the University ofMinnesota.10

MARK YOUR CALENDAR/CONTACT USUpcoming eventsSpring Raptor ReleaseTRC’s Spring Raptor Release will be held Saturday, May 4, from11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hyland Lake Park Reserve in Bloomington,Minnesota. The program starts at noon. Watch rehabilitatedraptors being released back into the wild and meet some of TRC’swinged ambassadors. Bring used ink-jet printer cartridges tosupport Recycling for Raptors. No pets please. This is a zerowasteevent. For more information, call 612-624-4745.Digital Bridge to NatureTRC is partnering with the Minnesota Department of NaturalResources on Digital Photography Bridge to Nature workshops.The goal is to use digital camera technology to encouragechildren to get outside in nature. Each four-hour workshop isdesigned to train 12-24 teachers how to use and apply digitalcamera kits to school curriculum. Completion of the workshopallows a teacher to check out a camera kit and helps earn fourcontinuing education units. Workshops are May 11, June 1, andJune 15. Call 612-624-2756 for more information.Summer campsTRC offers fun learning adventures through its summer camps,which integrate hands-on learning activities with a science-basedcurriculum. TRC’s winged ambassadors make great teachers! Formore information and to register, visithttp://recsports.umn.edu/youth/kidsu.html.• Grossology: ages 8-9 and 10-11, July 29-August 2• Wizarding World of Wildlife: ages 8-9, August 5-9; ages10-11 and 12-15, June 10-14• Raptor Vet: ages 9-11 and 12-15, July 8-12• Crazy About Owls: ages 6-7, July 22-26• Enraptured with Raptors: ages 6-7 and 8-9, July 15-19Camps in partnership with Richardson Nature CenterEagles, Owls, and Other Birds of Prey will be offered July15-19 for children ages 8-11, and Advanced Birds of Preywill be held August 12–15. The camps include three days atRichardson Nature Center meeting live raptors, spending time inthe birds’ habitats to observe behaviors, mimicking their huntingbehaviors with a predator/prey game, and learning some of theresponsibilities of caring for and maintaining injured birds. Ontwo days, campers will be bussed to TRC to gain exposure tosome of the veterinary techniques used to help injured birds,dissect owl pellets, and meet a variety of Minnesota birds of prey.This is a great opportunity for children to get experience withprofessional staff in the veterinary and natural sciences fields. Formore information and to register, go to www.threeriversparks.org/events/Groups/summer-camps.aspx, and download the 2013Summer Camps Guide.Public programsTRC naturalists and winged ambassadors will be at —• National Get Outdoors Day, Lake Maria State Park,Monticello, Minn., June 8• Buffalo Days, Buffalo, Minn., June 15• Murray County Fair, Slayton, Minn., August 14For more events at libraries, county fairs, and community centers,visit the public events calendar athttp://tinyurl.com/TheRaptorCenterCalendar.The Raptor Center directoryDonationsEndowment gifts, estate gifts,and grants:Bill Venne, 612-625-8480or venne025@umn.eduGifts and Adopt-a-Raptorprogram:Amber Burnette, 612-624-3391or burne018@umn.eduEducational programsField trips, outreach programs,and events612-624-2756raptored@umn.eduE-communicationsWant to receivee-communications? Go towww.TheRatorCenter.org andclick Connect with Us.E-mailraptor@umn.eduEvents calendarTRC public events calendarhttp://tinyurl.com/TheRaptorCenterCalendarFax612-624-8740Front deskInjured raptors; generalinformation612-624-4745Volume 32 Number 1 Spring 2013Executive directorEditorial teamDesignGift shopTRC’s online online gift shopoffers raptor-themed itemssuch as clothing, books, toys,and jewelry. Go towww.TheRaptorCenter.org andclick Shop.Mailing address1920 Fitch Ave.St. Paul, MN 55108Recycling for RaptorsTo learn about drop-offlocations, e-mailtrcink@umn.edu.Social mediaFacebook: www.facebook.com/TheRaptorCenterBlog:www.TheRaptorCenterNews.blogspot.comVolunteer opportunitiesVolunteer positions andupcoming training sessionsNancie Klebba,nklebba@umn.edu,612-624-3928, ortrcvol@umn.eduWebsitewww.TheRaptorCenter.orgRaptor ReleaseThe Raptor CenterDr. Julia PonderLori Arent, Gail Buhl,Amber Burnette, Fran Howard,Sue Kirchoff, Sue McCarthy,Dr. Julia PonderSue KirchoffPlease notify us of your change of address or duplicate mailing.Call 612-624-7624, e-mail cvmadmin@umn.edu, or write toAdvancement Department, College of Veterinary Medicine,1365 Gortner Avenue, St. Paul MN 55108.

The Raptor ReleaseThe Raptor CenterCollege of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of Minnesota1920 Fitch AvenueSt. Paul, Minnesota 55108NONPROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGEP A I DTWIN CITIES, MNPERMIT NO. 90155612-624-4745www.TheRaptorCenter.orgwww.Facebook.com/TheRaptorCenterwww.TheRaptorCenterNews.blogspot.comCelebrating more than three decades of dedication to raptorsSpring Raptor ReleaseSaturday, May 411 a.m.-2 p.m.(program starts at noon)Hyland Lake Park ReserveBloomington, MinnesotaWatch rehabilitated raptors being released back to the wildand meet some of TRC’s winged ambassadorsBring used ink-jet printer cartridges to supportRecycling for Raptors.No pets please.This is a zero-waste event.For more information, call 612-624-4745.