JACKSON HOLE, WYO – This is just. Too. Cute. Teton Raptor Center’s latest talon’d tenants are adorable and most assuredly in need of names. That’s where you folks come in.
Names are important at the center. Resident raptors (birds that cannot be released back into the wild) will touch the lives of many visitors, and TRC staff uses the birds’ names to help tell their story.
Three new birds are in need of names, currently. They are all presumed to be male though TRC is testing DNA samples to make sure. Read a brief summary of each bird’s known background and come up with your choice for a name. Do it all online and do it by October 1.
Barred Owl
This bird was found as a youngster on the ground near its nest in central Alabama. It was presumed to be an orphan and was transferred to a local veterinary clinic by some folks with good intentions, but not full awareness of the need for the bird to stay near its nest. The veterinary staff provided care for more than a week before a permitted rehabilitation center was contacted to take him in.
Unfortunately, raptors decide who they are and where food comes from during their first few weeks of life. During this critical period, this young owl imprinted onto the humans at the vet clinic, rather than learning how to be a Barred Owl. This habituation to humans means he cannot be released back into the wild. He will not “unlearn” who he is now and would likely become a nuisance animal if released, hanging too close to roadways, yards, and pets. He offers an important lesson for all of us to remember, which is to leave baby animals in the wild and to call a permitted facility right away if you are concerned about the wellbeing of a baby!
Barred Owls are a forest dwelling owl found primarily in the eastern US along with portions of the Pacific Northwest. They feed on a variety of food, but are known for feeding on fish, crayfish, and invertebrates in riparian areas.
Eastern Screech Owl
Our new gray phase Eastern Screech Owl (left) has a very similar history to Rayne, our red phase Eastern Screech Owl (right). Both are presumed car strikes with damaged vision as a result. Both can see well enough to navigate their enclosure, find perches and food, but neither has the depth perception necessary for successful hunting of live prey.
We do not know the age of this new bird, though it is likely 2-4 years old. Eastern Screech Owls are among the smaller species of owls in the US. They are cavity nesters known for their high-pitched “whinny,” or screech.
Red phased screech owls are more common in the Southeastern US where the pine trees have more reddish color. Western Screech Owls are found just outside of Jackson Hole and throughout the Western US. Western Screech owls are similar to their Eastern counterparts, but they have a very different call. Western screech owls are all gray.
Red-tailed Hawk
This gorgeous bird suffered head trauma (likely a car strike) and lost his vision in the right eye. He is fully flighted and seems to see well out of the left eye, but he fails when trying to hunt live prey and can therefore not be released back to the wild.
This hawk hatched in the spring of 2016. It is currently molting in its beautiful red tail, which is how we are able to determine age.
Red-tailed hawks are highly adaptable to a variety of habitats and will feed on just about anything they can get their feet on, including venomous snakes, rabbits, squirrels and lizards. Mammals make up most of their diet.
