News

After three months of rehabilitation with Soarin' Hawk Raptor Rehab, a bald eagle has been released back into the wild. On Thursday, the raptor was set free by volunteers at Eagle Marsh. When Soarin' Hawk first found the bird, it wasn't able to fly. Click here to read more!Read more

FORT WAYNE - The Summit City celebrated nature Sunday by teaching families about how to help the planet. The 6th annual Earth Day Fort Wayne was held at the Eagle Marsh Nature Preserve. Little River Wetlands Project's annual celebration offers activities, presentations and learning stations all focused on protecting our natural environment. One of the fan favorites was Jefferson the American Bald Eagle, who is a big fan of eating fish. Soarin' Hawk has had him for six years. He got electrocuted when he was younger learning to how to fly, landed on a power line and now has arthritis in his...Read more

Snowy owls come south in unpredictable invasions known as ‘irruptions.’ It’s mostly about food and babies, but we have a lot to learn about this phenomenon. Snowy owl migration is complex; some birds migrate south predictably and regularly, while others remain on the breeding grounds or actually move north, onto the Arctic sea ice, hunting in perpetual winter darkness. But every once in a while, for reasons that are not fully understood, snowy owls come flooding down from the north in a phenomenon known as an irruption. Smaller irruptions happen, on average, every four or five years, but once...Read more

Dr. Patricia Funnell unlocks a brown plywood transport box to reveal some precious cargo – a nearly fully grown bald eagle. The eagle is quietly sitting up and seems very alert – despite having one wing folded to its body and secured with blue masking tape. Funnell, a Fort Wayne veterinarian, gently lifts the 10-pound bundle of feathers onto a stainless steel surgical table. In a minute or two, the eagle will have a clear plastic mask strapped over its head and characteristic yellow beak – and then soar off into whatever dreamland giant birds of prey go when they get anesthesia. The eagle,...Read more

Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation, a group that aids injured birds of prey, is looking to purchase a new location. Several years ago, Christopher and Ruth Guerin attended a presentation about birds of prey. Today, they have a screech owl in their basement. It’s the fourth they’ve taken care of in the past year as volunteers with Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation. “They’re all beautiful and fascinating. Ruth cleans their cage and feeds them, and in the evening she holds the bird on her glove for an hour or so, while we watch TV,” explains Christopher. “The purpose is to help with the bird’s...Read more

Check out the January Issue of National Geographic The Year of the Bird In 1918 Congress passed the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to protect birds from wanton killing. To celebrate the centennial, National Geographic is partnering with the National Audubon Society , BirdLife International , and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to declare 2018 the Year of the Bird . Watch for more stories, maps, books, events, and social media content throughout the year.Read more

Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Soarin Hawk recently was awarded two grants from the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne in support of our mission. The first grant of $5,000 specifically supports the salary our Veterinary Technician who recently graduated from Purdue University. The last two years has seen a tremendous increase in the number of raptor ‘patients’ that we had taken in. 20 years of being on call for Soarin Hawk was taking a toll on our sole veterinary provider, Dr. Pat Funnell DVM. The board agreed that it was time to hire a vet- tech, which was a big step for...Read more