Audubon Center for Birds of Prey
by Reinier Munguia

It's been awhile since the first time I rescued a bird, yet it's one of those things that stays with you forever.  Twenty years later, I still remember this poor Red-tailed hawk fledgling soaked and unable to fly  after a passing storm.  Its home 45 feet up on a weakening  tree meant  its return home was uncertain. That night he spent it at our research office at the University of Puerto Rico, warm and cozy in a large cardboard box lined with newspapers. Back then I was a college student in the biology department and already hooked on birds and reptiles. I guess it was a lucky day for the young hawk, and a new experience for the college boy.  The next day I was on my way to the zoo to find him a new home and perhaps a place for him to grow and gain flight. The next few months I will spend time showing  the guy how to fly and catch its own food.  But the day came when the wind of an early afternoon caught under his wings and up he went, soaring the sky, flapping goodbye. Those are the things you won't ever forget. Yet I had the chance to relive the experience when I met the folks at the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey; a joyful group of hard working people making a difference in raptor rehabilitation and conservation.

When I brought our first bird there, I had the feeling this injured bird was going to have a second chance at life. In a matter of seconds after our arrival, I was filling up papers for the newly admitted patient, while the bird was being scrutinized for broken bones, eye abrasions and crop content.  I suddenly found  myself trapped in something out of the Discovery  Channel, perhaps a show we may call "Raptor ER". Diana Flynt, the clinic director, checked the bird's weight and ordered to have X-rays taken.  This poor bird with a broken clavicle was on its way to a bright future flying the central Florida sky.  From that day on, I knew I was going to make the one hour and thirty minute drive to Maitland  many more times that year. Since then, I have rescued many raptors ranging from American Kestrels to Bald Eagles, and all the other raptors in between.  From birds struck by vehicles or electrocuted on power lines to the occasional fallen youngster , every bird comes with its own unique story.  One thing is for sure, the Center is always on high alert for any incoming patient.

It's been almost 5 years since I started volunteering my time to rescue and transport birds for the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey, and we had a good share of success stories and sad ones, too. In many cases, we arrive to the scene to find that the bird is too weak or has extensive damage, and we know the chances are slim. Other times, you rescue what you consider a healthy looking bird, just to find it's blind of one eye, rendering it unreleasable.  But even some of these birds with permanent damage, get to live the rest of their lives as ambassadors, educating people and cheering kids with their thrilling calls and menacing talons.  The joys of seeing many of them fly once more after making a full recovery is enough encouragement to continue to answer any rescue call. 

The Audubon Center for Birds of Prey ensures every patient receives the proper treatment from the moment it arrives to the clinic to the day it leaves the facility to be released near the site where it came from.  There's no better feeling than when I bring an injured bird to the Center, but  leave with another to be released.  That's when you know the staff there does an outstanding job at taking mangled birds and turning them into amazing flying machines. Sometimes I feel bad for Beth and Sam, two extremely dedicated veterinary technicians working the clinic, as they don't get to enjoy the releases as often as I do. But I'm sure they live proud knowing how many birds they have saved over the years. Talking about numbers, the Center has released more than 400 Bald Eagles since its inception in 1979. On average, more than 700 raptors are treated every year, and at least 40% of all patients admitted  make it back into the wild.  It's amazing that this small facility in Maitland can manage that many birds every year. Well, the answer lies in the many volunteers  that call the Center their second home and to those partners that provide the funding  to keep up with the expenses including  food, medicines and maintenance of the flight cages and the buildings.

Over the years my experience with the staff and the birds we have rescued has shown me the importance of raptor rehabilitation and the key role played by this magnificent facility.  From the level of attention received by the patients to the cleanliness and space available for their recovery, this place has not ceased to amaze me.  Their record keeping and organization are impeccable and that's perhaps what makes it such a successful place. If I was an injured raptor, I would love to be taken there.