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Earth Day Celebration Brings Birds of Prey to Macomb

Red-tailed hawk
Red-tailed hawk

Macomb's Earth Day Celebration will bring the public close to nature with several birds of prey on display.

Veterinarian Drew Kaiser is head of the Raptor Rehabilitation Center in Quincy. He will bring a red-tailed hawk, a kestrel, a barn owl and a screech owl to the event.

People love to watch the magnificent birds.  However, he says we are not their best friends.

He says, “80% of the time the trauma that we see are man-made. Whether that's your posts, telephone poles, fences, automobiles, things like that.”

Those that suffer minor injuries can be returned to the wild in four to six weeks.  Some suffer injuries so severe they can never return to the wild.

Kaiser says the birds “do pretty well” in captivity.

He says, “They tolerate that as long as they have proper food and as long as they have a place to stay out of the elements.”

If you come across an injured bird of prey, Kaiser recommends that you don't try to pick it up. The best thing to do is call your state's Department of Natural Resources so someone skilled in working with birds can pick it up.
   
The birds will be displayed at 10 a.m and at 1 p.m. April 21st at Macomb Junior-Senior High School. A complete schedule for the celebration is on the events page on this website.