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Snowy Owl Far From Home - JG
03/28/2018
Wait – what was a snowy owl, native to the arctic, doing in northeast Indiana anyway? Well, that's what one bird conservation group calls “one of the big birding stories of the winter of 2017-2018,” and a question bird enthusiasts are still pondering. The owl was part of what scientists call an irruption – a sudden large influx of birds into an area where they're not usually seen. For the full Journal Gazette article on our Snowy Owl Release, click here ! To read our article on Snowy Owl Irruptions, click here !Read more
Snowy Owl Irruptions
03/08/2018
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
Baby Season, and How You Can Help Us!
03/08/2018
Baby season is almost upon us! We need your help! This is the picture of a baby Great-Horned Owl. Every spring we take in many, many orphans. In this case, it was due to a storm with strong winds that blew the nest out of the tree. We try, if possible, to "re-nest" the orphans if the nest is intact and the parents are still there to care for the young. But, each year we find that, in many cases, this is not possible and we raise the orphans at Soarin' Hawk. While they are admittedly adorable, they also require a lot of work and time. The very young are not able to regulate their own body...Read more
Rescued Bald Eagle Undergoes Surgery
03/02/2018
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
Do Hunting Raptors Start Fires Deliberately? - Journal of Ethnobiology
02/24/2018
The regular attendance of raptors at grass and scrub fires is well known. The birds hunt potential prey animals displaced by the flames. However, proof is now available from Australia that some individual Black Kites ( Milvus migrans ), Whistling Kites ( Haliastur sphenurus ) and Brown Falcons ( Falco berigora ) deliberately spread fire by carrying burning twigs and dropping them elsewhere to start new blazes. They seem to do this largely when an existing fire is being extinguished, seemingly in order to keep it going. The use of fire as a tool has previously been thought to be unique to...Read more
Giving Birds a Fighting Chance
02/14/2018
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
"Knowledge Speaks - Wisdom Listens," Athens, Greece
02/08/2018
Why BIrds Matter
02/06/2018
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
NEW Volunteer Orientation 13 Jan
01/02/2018
At Soarin’Hawk we rely on volunteers to execute our mission to conserve and protect birds of prey through rehabilitation and education. There are many ways that our volunteers contribute; avian care, rescue, physical therapy, educational programs, facility maintenance, donor development, fund raisers, social media, newsletter, website, grant writing. Click Here for more info or Email us at volunteer@soarinhawk.orgRead more
Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne
11/27/2017
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
Peregrine Chick Banding at AEP/I&M, May 2017
06/02/2017
Expo 2017 - kids & education
05/13/2017
Birds of prey excite visitors at Soarin' Hawk event JAMIE DUFFY | The Journal Gazette When Barbara Hathaway took on the care of an injured eagle this spring, she had to wait five days for blood tests to come back. Hathaway, a volunteer with the Soarin' Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation Center, tended to the 10- to- 12-pound eagle with a 7-foot wing spread at her home. for the complete story go to the The Joutnal GazetteRead more
WFFT going-green-eagles-and-the-dangers-of-lead-poisoning
04/10/2017
WFFT 10 April 2017 Forty years ago the bald eagle was in danger of extinction. Now, the eagle has made a comeback and is even frequenting northeast Indiana. But now, hundreds of bald eagles have died the past decade due to lead poisoning. One local group is trying to save the birds, and educate citizens on how you can help. "We'll see more. There's actually nests in the area. So the eagles we take in, we used to take in maybe one a year, not even that. But we have three in rehabilitation right now. For the a video and the rest of the story click hereRead more
"Monty's" Story - The Rescue, Student Fund Raiser & Return to the Trees
09/20/2016
“MONTY” During the late evening hours of August 15, our Chihuahuas discovered a Red Tail Hawk near the back door of our house, on the campus of Peace Montessori School. Given that it didn’t react to our small dogs I suspected that it was most likely injured. We checked on him later that evening and then went out to check his whereabouts as soon as the sun came up in the morning. As I had anticipated he was still sitting on the patio, affording me the opportunity to marvel in his grace and beauty. My son and I dearly love these magnificent birds and will often drive about looking to catch a...Read more
Barns Owls of Northern Indiana - Rescue & Return Home
09/15/2016
Barns Owl Rescued August 4, 2016 Late Wednesday evening; a Soarin’ Hawk volunteer received a message from the local DNR C.O. informing us of a “problem” with a Barn Owl family in a farmer’s silo. It came as quite the surprise! Barn Owls are very rare in northern Indiana. On average only 10-15 nests are discovered annually; most of which are located in the lower half of the state. The following morning she drove out to the farm and was immediately greeted by the family. All work came to a complete halt and they trooped through the stock pens and shed to the base of a 45 foot tall silo. Inside...Read more
