The primary goal of the Raptor Chapter is to educate the public:

Immature bald eagle

1) about raptors and other forms of wildlife because we believe that people cannot care for what they don't personally know,

2) about the environment and how our lives impact it because we believe that many negative effects on natural resources are human induced,

3) about the workings of ecosystems, and especially those in our region, because we believe that knowledge of how things work will enable us to live as "a part of" instead of "apart from" the earth, and

Flight crew

4) about the intricate relationships of the earth and all its creatures because we believe that only by understanding these relationships can we accomplish good stewardship.

Education programs are conducted for schools, businesses, civic groups, churches, and professional societies. Raptors that are non-releasable become educational birds to give people a close-up look at their lives. Staff and volunteers present accurate scientific and historical information on raptors and their habitats.

Red-tailed hawk

Number of programs given to date: 798

Over 1000 birds have been treated by the Raptor Chapter

Number of non-releasable birds given a useful life: 52

For information call us at 219 496-9608 or 1-888-ON-A-WING (662-9464).

REHABILITATION (Rehabilitation Page)

A secondary goal of the Raptor Chapter is the recovery of injured raptors and the medical and physical treatment of these birds for release to the wild. Volunteers are given an opportunity to put compassion into practice. Birds of prey are "finely-tuned instruments" and can be grounded by something as simple as feather breakage. Collisions with vehicles, wire or buildings frequently cause injury and trauma. Shooting, trapping and capture as nestlings also endanger many birds. The Raptor Chapter believes that care for these human-induced injuries is our responsibility.

Barn owl nestlings

CONSERVATION (Conservation Page)

Just as we consider it a responsibility of people to take care of birds that human activities have injured, we also consider that habitats need our protection and care. All the healthy raptors we can release will not survive if suitable habitat doesn't exist for them. In the past, reintroduction programs have help the return of extant species, and the Raptor Chapter hopes to continue that work in the future.

Equally important is assuring the necessary foraging, nesting, and roosting habitat are provided for wildlife. Future work with nest site management and encouragement for landowners to provide foraging habitat are in the works.

Barn owl box

These projects could help the return of eagles, barn owls, and osprey to northeastern Indiana as well as provide nesting cover for the rarer raptors like harriers and short-eared owls. Future research with raptors in the region will also provide useful information in the management and restoration of wildlife. The Raptor Chapter's partnership with Indiana-Purdue University at Fort Wayne is an exciting avenue for this research work.

| Program Schedule | Raptor Roster | Lynx |

TO REPORT INJURED BIRDS CALL 1-888 ON-A-WING OR PAGER 219-427-4355
THANKS FOR CARING!