The Raptor Center Clinic

As an education volunteer over at The Raptor Center I spend most of my time interacting with the public or helping to take care of our education birds but the week before last I was helping at the annual Care and Management of Captive Raptors Workshop and I got to spend some time down stairs in the clinic.

I have been down in the clinic on several occasions in the past, to drop off an injured bird or watch them work on some of our ed birds, but I try not to go down there to often because I do not want to get in the way. However on this occasion my task was to get some pictures during the workshop which meant some time in the clinic with my camera.

The Care and Management of Captive Raptors Workshop is intended to educate and give some basic hands on experience to people who are working with captive raptors. Participants came from all over the United States and had various degrees of experience. During the workshop participants spent part of their time upstairs working with the education staff on subjects such as operant conditioning, food preparation and raptor handling. The remainder of their time was spent down in the clinic learning basic techniques such as cropping beaks, trimming talons, hydrating a bird and more under the supervision of the veterinary staff.

I found the work in the clinic very interesting, since I do not see this side of The Raptor Center every day, and I took quite a few pictures, including one of this barred owl. It is obvious that this owl is suffering from some problems with self esteem. Most likely none of the other reindeer will let him play in any of the reindeer games. He was found in the far north accompanied by an elf that wanted to be a dentist. His injuries are most likely the result of an attack from an abominable snowman.