Meet our birds of prey

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

Habitat: Kestrels hunt for large insects, mice, songbirds, voles, and snakes in meadows, parks, farm fields, grasslands.
Story: He came to LSNC in 2011 from Brave Heart Raptor Center in Western Michigan with a right wing injury. He is most comfortable around people and can often be seen perched out in the raptor office.
Fun Fact: The American Kestrel is the smallest North American falcon.
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Bald Eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Habitat: Typically nesting in forests adjacent to large bodies of water. Fish are a staple of a Bald Eagle’s diet as well as birds, muskrats, and carrion.
Story: This young Bald Eagle was pinned under a tree and broke many bones in the wing, compromising her flight ability.
Fun Fact: Immature eagles are largely nomadic and can cover hundreds of miles per day.
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Barred Owl

Strix varia

Habitat: A medium sized owl, they prefer large heavily wooded forests, often near water. Squirrels, chipmunks, voles, birds, and amphibians are a sample of their diet.
Story: Suffering neurological damage after a car collision, this Barred Owl came to LSNC in 2007.
Fun Fact: Although Barred Owls are predators, they can also fall prey to Great Horned Owls.
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Eastern Screech Owl

Otus asio

Habitat: As cavity nesters, Eastern Screech Owls are successful in city parks, farm fields, and city neighborhoods, where they find large insects, mice, and songbirds.
Story: She was suspected to have been pushed out of the nest and was found on the ground by a jogger.
Fun Fact: Only about one-third of the population are rufous, red in coloration.
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Eastern Screech Owl

Otus asio

Habitat: As cavity nesters, Eastern Screech Owls are successful in city parks, farm fields, and city neighborhoods, where they find large insects, mice, and songbirds.
Story: This bird is non-releasable because of its damaged left eye.
Fun Fact: Screech is a misnomer. Their call is a melodious trill.
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Eastern Screech Owl

Otus asio

Habitat: As cavity nesters, Eastern Screech Owls are successful in city parks, farm fields, and city neighborhoods, where they find large insects, mice, and songbirds.
Story: With an injured right wing, it is suspected she was involved in a car collision in 2010.
Fun Fact: Eastern Screech Owls can accept nesting boxes as their home.
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Great Horned Owl

Bubo virginianus

Habitat: Found in a wide variety of habitats, the Great Horned Owl hunts a wide array of prey including amphibians, birds, reptiles, and mammals.
Story: After injuring her wing in a suspected car collision, she is our longest resident at LSNC. She has been in captivity since 1997.
Fun Fact: Great Horned Owls are the only animals that regularly eat skunks.
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Northern Saw-whet Owl

Aegolius acadicus

Habitat: Saw-whet Owls are found in all types of forests but prefer dense conifer stands. They hunt mice and occasionally small birds or insects.
Story: She injured her wing and eye in a suspected car collision.
Fun Fact: In the winter they will cache or save food and incubate it later to eat.
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Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Habitat: Peregrines are often found along rivers and coastlines or in cities where skyscrapers emulate cliff nesting sites. They mostly hunt other birds.
Story: She came to LSNC from California where she was bred in captivity for the sport of falconry. Unsuccessful as a hunter and not a candidate for release, she makes a wonderful education bird.
Fun Fact: Of any North American falcon, the Peregrine Falcon has one of the longest migration routes, which is fitting because the word “Peregrine” means wanderer.
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Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

Habitat: Red-tailed Hawks are very versatile in type of preferred habitat which includes scrublands, deserts, grasslands, as well as fields and pastures.
Story: After a storm in 2004 his nest tree blew down. He was found in a field with a broken right wing.
Fun Fact: Construction of their stick nests takes between 4 to 7 days.
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Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

Habitat: Turkey Vultures can be found in farmland, forest, and rangeland. They will scavenge and eat carrion or dead animals.
Story: She injured her right wing in a suspected car collision possibly while feeding on road kill.
Fun Fact: Using their sense of smell, Turkey Vultures locate carrion - in some cases a mile away.
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Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

Habitat: Turkey Vultures can be found in farmland, forest, and rangeland. They will scavenge and eat carrion or dead animals.
Story: Unable to migrate in the winter of 2009, he ended up loosing several of his toes to frostbite
Fun Fact: The scientific name Cathartes aura means “purifying breeze” which reflects vultures’ ability to clean-up animal remains.
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Ripen

The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do. - Galileo