The Wildlife Center in Action
The Wildlife Center cares for nearly 3,000 animals annually
ranging from raptors (eagles, hawks, owls) and other birds (songbirds, water and shore
birds) to mammals (cougar, fox, beaver, bats, deer, raccoon) and reptiles (alligators,
turtles). The emergency Wildlife Hotline provides free advice
and information to more than 5,500 callers annually throughout the state about all kinds
of wildlife problems and emergencies. The Wildlife Hotline has been in continuous
operation 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, since 1981.
The stories listed below provide just a quick glimpse of The
Wildlife Center in action.
Check back regularly to read about new and exciting success stories!
A Barn Owl released by The Wildlife Center looks
for a comfortable perch near a barn on the St. Bernard campus. At the urging of the
Cullman Audubon Society, The Wildlife Center released two owls, one male and one female,
into the wilderness of the 900-acre campus, part of which is being cultivated for use as a
trail by Audubon Society members. Photo by Rich Partain. (From the Cullman Times,
July 8, 1997)
Select from the case histories listed below:
Red-Tailed Hawk
(Buteo jamaicensis)
About Red-Tailed Hawks
The largest of the hawks native to Alabama, the red-tailed hawk is often seen soaring
smoothly overhead, wheeling and turning in the rising currents of air with scarcely a flap
of the wings. Great numbers of red-tails winter in Alabama, and they may be seen perched
on dead trees and power line poles along the interstate highways--and even in downtown
Birmingham--searching the ground for their prey. These important predators feed mainly on
rats, mice and other small mammals, as well as snakes, insects, and a few birds.
Case Histories
'Drummond' was hit by a car in Fort Payne and sustained serious injury to his wing,
including a broken bone and extensive muscle damage.
'Perry' was flying near a lake in Perry County when he became tangled in fishing line
which was left behind in a bush near the water by a careless fisherman. The hawk was
rescued after hanging helplessly for several hours, with the fishing line deeply embedded
in the flesh of the leg and wing. Although the wounds caused by the ordeal have healed,
the damage to muscles and nerves may be permanent.
'Jefferson' was shot illegally in 1979, causing such severe damage that one wing had to
be amputated at the elbow. This bird has been in the care of
The Wildlife Center longer than any other bird. He has been living at the Treetop Nature Trail since
1985. Even after all these years 'Jefferson' still forgets that he can't fly. If he is
startled, he will try to fly, and instead fall to the ground. Perches in the cage have
been arranged to provide a ladder so that he can climb back up.
'Hale' was also a victim of illegal shooting. He was sent to
The Wildlife
Center for treatment from Hale County, after a shotgun blast caused serious damage to his
wing. Despite repeated surgical treatments, the wing could not be returned to full
function.
'Marshall' was injured as a nestling when her nest tree was cut down in the spring of
l995. Sadly, the wing was seriously injured, and does not allow for normal flight.
Conservation Notes
Fishing line and kite string act as invisible traps for birds like hawks, owls, and
great blue herons. When someone leaves fishing line tangled in bushes or trees, the birds
can't see the line, and they may become accidentally entangled. The harder the birds
struggle, the more tangled they become, and the greater the damage to their delicate legs
and wings. Sometimes they hang upside down, unable to break free. If not rescued promptly,
serious injury or death is the usual result.
Back to Case History List
Albino Turkey Vulture
(Cathartes aura)
About Turkey Vultures
Like the black vulture, the larger turkey vulture is a carrion-eater, playing a
valuable role in cleaning up rotting carcasses which serve as breeding grounds for
bacteria and insects. The odd-looking bald head is really a safety feature. If their heads
were feathered like other birds, the feathers would become hopelessly soiled while
feeding.
These large raptors are highly social, and will follow each other to food. During the
warmest part of the day, they may be seen soaring effortlessly on broad wings, using both
their keen eyesight and excellent sense of smell to locate a meal. When soaring, they can
easily spot other vultures flying in to a meal, and a large group may quickly form around
a likely carcass. As many as 70 may flock together to their evening roosts in tall trees.
Case History
This unusual albino vulture was first sighted near Piedmont, Alabama in late March,
just days before a killer tornado ripped through the area. A volunteer was sent by
The
Wildlife Center to rescue the bird, which appeared to be unable to fly, but the
bird disappeared. The bird was later found in early June in St. Clair County near Greensport, where it was being chased by dogs. It was examined by staff members of
The
Wildlife Center and found to be suffering from starvation.
The beautiful white vulture has now fully recovered, but has little hope of surviving
in the wild. For her to be so emaciated, she must have been unable to obtain food over a
long period of time. Perhaps, because of her unusual appearance, she was not tolerated by
other turkey vultures flocking together to feed. Also, her pure white feathers are not as
strong as the normal, dark-colored feathers of other turkey vultures, making it much more
difficult for the albino to soar high in the sky. Without this ability, her chances of
finding food would be greatly reduced. Because of her disabilities, the bird will be given
a permanent home here at the Treetop Nature Trail.
Conservation Notes
Like all migratory birds, turkey vultures are protected by federal law. It's fortunate
for this beautiful bird that the people who found her called
The Wildlife Center
immediately. Close to death from starvation, the bird required nearly a week of tube
feedings before she was able to digest solid food. A delay of even 24 hours might have
caused her death.
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Great Horned Owl
(Bubo virginianus)
About Great Horned Owls
The most powerful and aggressive of North American owls, the great horned owl dominates
the wildlife community in which it lives. This highly adaptable species is equally at home
in deep forest, open country, or in city parks and golf courses, where rats, mice,
squirrels and chipmunks are its main prey, although it can take animals up to the size of
a skunk. Great horned owls are known to be nesting in a number of residential
neighborhoods and parks around Birmingham. The 'horns' are actually tufts of feathers
which break up the bird's outline and allow it to blend in with its surroundings.
Case History
'Shelby' was found tangled in a barbed wire fence on a farm near Vincent in Shelby
County in November of 1990. In her frantic struggles to break free from the barbed wire,
her elbow was dislocated and she suffered serious soft tissue damage to the right wing.
Although her wounds have healed, she will never be able to fly well enough to survive in
the wild. Like 'Mama' Barred Owl, Shelby has been a surrogate parent to a number of
orphaned nestlings.
'Cullman' was found near Crain Hill in Cullman County in November, 1993. Like the black
vulture 'Tuscaloosa', the owl had an old eye injury that had caused permanent blindness,
and his very emaciated condition indicated that he had not been able to hunt successfully.
Although The Wildlife Center was able to nurse the owl back to health, he would not
survive in the wild.
Conservation Notes
Owls are night time hunters, depending on their excellent night vision and keen sense
of hearing to fly in search of prey, but they have no way of sensing obstacles like barbed
wire and fishing line (trot lines or fishing line tangled in trees). Often they become
tangled by one or both wings, and may die slowly of starvation if not rescued. The damage
to delicate wings from entrapment is nearly always very severe, as the struggling bird's
entire weight pulling on the tangled wing adds enormously to the damage inflicted.
Fishermen can prevent tragedy to owls, herons, and other large birds by removing tangled
line along waterways.
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Black Vulture
(Coragyps atratus)
About Black Vultures
Vultures play a vital role in our ecosystem by feeding on disease- carrying carrion,
helping to recycle nutrients back into the food chain. Often called "buzzards",
they are a familiar sight in Alabama, soaring on thermal updrafts looking for food. Unlike
the larger Turkey vulture, which can locate carrion by smell, the black vulture must
depend on its keen eyesight. They prefer to cruise over open country, but can be seen in
light woodlands during breeding season. At close range, the featherless head (a sanitary
adaptation) has an odd appearance, but once airborne, these masters of the air provide one
of nature's most thrilling aerial displays as they circle effortlessly overhead.
Black vultures are highly social, and young birds remain with their family group for
several years. There is good evidence that flocks of black vultures that roost together
nightly are made up of large extended family units.
Case Histories
'Ethel' was hatched in the wild, and was acquired by the Birmingham Zoo from a local
animal dealer as an adult in 1971. In 1990, Ethel 'retired' from the Zoo, and came to live
at the Treetop Nature Trail. The Audubon Encyclopedia of North American Birds states that
the record for longevity is currently held by a bird that lived at the National Zoo in
Washington for 21 years, and one month. Ethel has beaten this record by several years, and
is still going strong.
'Tuscaloosa' was hit by a car near Cottondale in May of 1993. Although not badly
injured, a complete medical examination revealed that the bird was blind in one eye as a
result of an old injury, and was also extremely emaciated. Obviously, the partial
blindness was causing serious problems for this bird in the wild, and
The Wildlife Center
made the decision to offer him a permanent home at the Treetop Nature Trail. Tuscaloosa is
a young bird, probably hatched in the spring of 1992.
Conservation Notes
Many of the animals received by The Wildlife Center are victims of car
collision. It is the number one cause of injury among birds of prey admitted to
The
Wildlife Center from all over Alabama. Please be aware of the rich variety of wildlife
here in Alabama, and use care when driving.
Back to Case History List
