Our permanent resident raptors need some care every now and then when it comes to their beaks and talons. Medical staff member Kristi is pictured here trimming one of our red-tail hawk’s beak and talons to keep them healthy and functional. Assisting her is TRT staff member Robert. In the wild, raptors’ talons are kept in check by the various perching surfaces available to them. Likewise, their beaks are chiseled down by the prey they eat. In captivity, it is hard to meet these requirements in a practical way. Therefore, at least once a year, medical staff go in with some clippers and a small sander, and file them down. This is not painful for the birds. It’s much like clipping our own finger nails or the claws of a dog or cat. This also gives our medical staff the opportunity to check the rest of the bird’s body out, and make sure the raptor is in good weight, and that there are no signs of injury or illness. TRTs permanent resident raptors are kept at our facility with special permits and licenses. They all have some sort of disability that would not allow them to otherwise survive in the wild. As a result, they will live the remainder of their lives here at TRT. These birds are on display for educational purposes, and you are welcome to visit us most days of the year. Please note that our patient birds, those that will eventually be released back into the wild, are NOT on display. They are kept well away from people so as not to disturb their rehabilitation.
Posted on: Thu, 14 Aug 2014 22:00:01 +0000
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