In the previous week, two raptors have been brought to the Center for Birds of Prey because of burn wounds that had harmed each of them severely. One was a Red-shouldered Hawk and the other was an Osprey. The Red-shouldered Hawk is healing nicely but the Osprey did not make it.

One of our Raptor technicians at the Center for Birds of Prey, Beth Lott, shared with me this information on what happened to these two birds. Now, I should tell you first that Beth is constantly working so we didn’t sit down and have a cup of tea to talk about these raptors. We stood in the clinic and she talked to me while examining an injured Osprey that had just been brought in by animal control. The work for the medical staff never slows. There is always a raptor that needs their care, and they give it to them. They work diligently and consistently on each bird as if it were their only concern in the world. Their passion for their work radiates from them and I can’t imagine this Center functioning without their care and assistance. As she examined the Osprey who had possibly just survived a battle with a Bald Eagle, she explained to me the burn victims’ stories and situations.

She started out telling me what they think happened to the badly burned Osprey. They think he might have been sitting in his nest when it caught on fire because branches from his nest were touching power lines. The Osprey was caught off guard and had been severely burned before he even knew what was going on. His legs, eyes, and feathers were all burned horrifically. He remained under intensive care by our medical staff but was unable to pull through due to the magnitude of the damage.

The Red-shouldered Hawk was found in an abandoned lot that had been set on fire. He was burned on his legs and wings, and his primary and secondary flight feathers were singed off. Beth said, “His prognosis is guarded but hopeful”, and then went on to explain his treatment and injuries. He will require a long road to recovery but here at the Center, staff provides that road with daily treatments.

Each morning our clinic staff checks the status of his burns, and then re-bandages them after their evaluations are made. They use a special ointment on the burns that is also used on humans. It is called Silver Sulfadiazine and it promotes new skin growth, debrides old tissue, and blocks bacteria. Staff also provides pain killers through the healing process. Birds feel pain so our medical staff members’ do their best to make each raptor feel comfortable. Each day he grows stronger and we can only hope he has the strength to pull through and make it back to nature where he belongs.

Around 80% of the birds brought to the Center are injured because of human encroachment into their habitat. Cases such as being hit by cars, shootings, electrocutions can be prevented.

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