Hawk Insights

I went to the Birds of Prey at Coadale, Alberta several years ago.  This is a facility that takes in injured birds, helps them heal and releases them back to the wild.  They also have an active breeding program for burrowing owls that are released as well.  They have many full time residents that would not survive on their own in the wild so they have a permanent home here.  Check it out at http://burrowingowl.com/

As I wandered through the open area I was thinking about how it must be for the birds.  Being locked up and never be free again.  I stood in front of an enclosure with a hawk inside.  As he sat on the branch he said to me, "It's not as bad as humans think it is.  If it wasn't for this place I would be dead."  He went on to say that he was grateful to still be alive.  As I stood there listening to him he spread his wings and I saw that he only had half a wing on one side.  He probably couldn't even fly anymore and would have met certain death in the wild.