By Paula Musto
Thanks to the efforts of some energetic local women, injured or orphaned raptors (or birds of prey) are getting a second chance at life in the wild. The three volunteer with the Carolina Raptor Center (CRC) where they have trained to rescue raptors found on roadways and in yards with broken legs, damaged wings and other injuries. Until recently there were few resources to rescue these birds locally.
Raptors, characterized by their hooked bills, strong feet, sharply curved talons and large eyes, include eagles, hawks, owls and falcons. They are plentiful in WNC, but only two organizations in this part of the state—CRC near Charlotte and May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Banner Elk—care for raptors. Appalachian Wildlife Refuge, a rehabilitation center in Candler, had to stop taking in birds for a period this year due to a record number of mammals at the facility.
Nancy Vergara with Red-Shouldered Hawk. Photo courtesy of Jose Adrian Orench
“Birds need a flight cage, a lot of space,” says Nancy Vergara, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator and one of the women who teamed up with CRC to undergo training on handling raptors. Vergara, a Weaverville resident and passionate wildlife advocate, is also an Appalachian Wild volunteer who oversees the organization’s hotline.
“It broke my heart when we would get raptor calls—people who found a baby hawk with a broken wing or an injured baby owl who fell out of its nest,” Vergara says. “And we could not offer assistance other than referrals to the Charlotte or Banner Elk facilities.”
But even getting the birds to facilities hours away was a problem. Capturing an injured raptor with its long, sharp talons is not a job for first-timers. Vergara emphasizes the importance of reaching out to a trained wildlife rehabber before attempting a rescue. All wild animals, if able, will fight off such attempts, so it is important to have protection including thick leather gloves and a long-sleeved jacket. Trained rescuers use a large towel to throw over the animal to provide another layer of protection and to calm the bird.
Now trained, Vergara and her team cohorts Sue Massi and Patricia Monteferrante know what to do when they receive an injured raptor alert. The women capture the bird and place it in a box to assess injuries. They then arrange transport to either Charlotte or Banner Elk where the bird is cared for and eventually returned to be released back into the wild in the same area where it was first found. “That’s the best part,” says Vergara. “It’s thrilling to see the bird fly off and have the opportunity for a better life.”
People frequently ask why she spends so much time and energy on wildlife. “To me, our planet belongs to animals,” she says. “We are on their land. When they are hurt or orphaned, most often it is because of human activity. The least we can do is help them when they suffer because of us.”
The most frequent causes of raptor injuries are collisions with motor vehicles, farm equipment and windows. The birds are also prone to becoming entrapped in fences and sports netting.
Massi considers it a privilege to help save these birds. “I’ve been fascinated with birds of prey my whole life,” she says. “They are magnificent, intelligent animals.”
This summer, she was involved in rescuing a Gray Horned Owl entrapped in a dangling powerline wire. The bird had an open wound on its wing that grew more serious as it struggled to free itself. The owl is now recovering at CRC, and Massi is looking forward to retrieving and releasing the animal back into the wild. Another owl was found entangled in soccer netting at a sports field. Massi was able to free it and the uninjured bird happily flew off—another successful outcome!
Not all rescues end happily, however. Monteferrante recalls two eagles rescued after being shot in the Cherokee area. Both were rescued, but had to be euthanized due to their injuries. Because eagles are a protected species, state wildlife officials must be notified, and a licensed rehabber oversees the rescue attempt.
“It’s an honor to be involved in the effort to save these birds,” says Monteferrante, who points out their value to humans, including rodent control. “They deserve our respect.”
Paula Musto is a volunteer for Appalachian Wildlife Refuge whose mission is to help injured or orphaned wildlife. If you find an injured animal, call the hotline at 828.633.6364, option 1. The organization handled nearly 4,500 calls last year, including more than 260 reports related to raptors.
