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 Rehab and Release Stories:

We see a lot of injured wildlife come through our doors and it is not possible to put all of them online.

On this page you will find just a small selection of the animals that were released back into the wild.

Some of the birds on this page are still in the rehabilitation phase, but we are hopeful

that they will be released in the future.

 

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Here is a look back at some of our rehab and release stories for 2016 so far.

 

View rehab and release stories for 2015 here.

 

View rehab and release stories for 2014 here.

Red Tail Hawk

On December 27th, this male, juvenile, Red Tail Hawk was picked up by the land owner along a fence line. He was then picked up by one of our center's volunteers and brought in for rehabilitation.
Luckily it had no injuries, but at just 1.14 pounds it was very underweight and much too weak to fly.


Released on January 20th, at a nice healthy weight of 2.9 pounds, this handsome fellow was quite happy to be returned to the wild.

Waxwing

 

 

This Waxwing had collided with a building window in down town Kalispell along with quite a few of it's flock.
A nice couple spotted it and called our organization.
Thankfully there were no injuries sustained, it was only stunned.
After recovering over a 24 hour period it was ready for release in a more secluded forested area.

Double Bald Eagle Release

What could be better than releasing a rehabilitated raptor back into the wild?
Releasing Two!
This mature male, and female Bald Eagle, came in separately, but were ready for release at the same time.
It made for a great day!

Great Horned Owl

This Great Horned Owl was received by Dr. Tyler's veterinary office in Polson on February 9th with a badly fractured right wing.
After surgery was performed and a fixator device was put in place to repair the wing, it was transferred into our care for recovery.
On March 15th the fixator was removed by Dr. Tyler and two days later this Owl was once again flying free.
A huge thank-you to Dr. Tyler for so generously donating his services!

Bald Eagle

This Bald Eagle was found locked in battle with another mature male Bald Eagle in February.
The only way to seperate the two was by cutting a couple of the talons on each.
After recovering for three weeks from the serious wounds it had suffered it was released back to the area it had been found.
 

Great Horned Owlet

This Great Horned Owlet was found on the ground a short distance from it's nest.
Luckily it had sustained no injuries.
The nest was located, and it was returned safe and sound.

Bald Eagle

This Bald Eagle was found on the reservation suffering from acute lead poisoning.
It made a great recovery after rehabbing at our facility, and was released back to the area it was found.

Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl

This Great Horned Owl was found March 30th in someones chicken coop, off Hwy 206.
It had a sprain to the right wing.
After rehabbing at our facilty it was successfully released April 19th.

Mature Bald Eagle

Admitted May 4th from the Perma Bridge area with an injured right wing.

Dr. Tyler, from Polson, X-rayed the wing and then isolated the injury with a supportive wrap for rehab.

After demonstarting strong, healthy flight, and improved body weight, it was released back to the area it came from on July 5th.

King Fisher

This adorable, juvenile, King Fisher is thriving, and eating just like a growing "child" should. 
She's downing 20+ live fish a day, at .35 cents a gulp. Worth every penny!

Blue Bird

Every life matters~ 
Yes, we mainly take in Raptors, but we help ALL our feathered-friends. Other facilities don't always accept them, but we believe every life deserves an equal chance.
A very kind couple from Great Falls Montana made the extra effort, and long drive, to bring this beautiful, young, female Blue Bird to us.
Once ready to fly, she was released into great Blue Bird habitat!

Bald Eagle

This mature Bald Eagle was found in the Vermilion Bridge area in Thompson Falls. It was laying on the gravel bar in the river, both wings scraped and it's legs flaccid, unable to stand.
She had an impacted, sour crop which was thoroughly irrigated clean and started a slurry diet. With daily passive manipulation and massage she was standing on day 6!
Still receiving "physical therapy" and being assist-fed her slurry diet, we continue to see improvement, so we have great hopes of a complete recovery and release!
Update: Eating on her own, getting around her chamber, but no flight as yet.

Juvenile Red Tail Hawk

This Juvenile Red Tail Hawk came to us as a fledgling from the Polson area. It had fallen from the nest. After observation it was noted the parents were not continuing to feed it, so it was then brought into our care.
After some time regaining a healthy weight, and proving it had become a strong flier, it was released back to the area it came from.

Juvenile Great Horned Owl

August 25th, this juvenile Great Horned Owl was found in an individuals private airplane hanger .

Thankfully it had no injuries, but had a hard first year of life out there on it's own, and was very underweight.

After some time rehabbing, and eating very well, it had put on healthy weight it was released back into the wild.

Good luck out there!

Juvenile Screech Owl

This Fledgling Screech Owl came in injury free, but in need of some much needed extra food.
Once it was back to a nice healthy weight it was released back to the area it came from.

 

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Juvenile Barred Owl

This male, juvenile Barred Owl was found grounded on September 7th in the Ferndale area, underweight and hypothermic from being water logged in a very heavy rain storm.
(Owls, unlike other Birds of Prey, do not have waterproof feathers, and if they get wet they find it extremely difficult to fly, and in some cases cannot fly at all.)
After just under a month rehabbing in our care he attained a healthy weight and was ready for his return to the wild.

Juvenile Great Horned Owl

This juvenile Great Horned Owl made water-logged owl number 2 for us this extremely rainy Fall.
He came in October 28th, too wet to fly and underweight, and was released back into the wild  just days before Thanksgiving.
I think we can all guess what he was thankful for!

Juvenile Golden Eagle

This juvenile, male, Golden Eagle was found by a landowner in East Radner suffering from lead poisoning. One of the most obvious side affects of lead poisoning is "balled" feet.
He has responded very well to treatment, and daily physical therapy, is eating very well, and gaining strength ever day.
Thanks to these specially designed splints, the Eagle is able to stand, walk, and even perch on a low block. We are so happy to see him upright and mobile!
A HUGE thank-you goes out to a very talented Beth Merrick from The Montana Raptor Conservation Center in Bozeman who designed and supplied the splints for our "Golden Boy".

(RELEASE photos can be viewed on 2017 Page.)

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