Birds and kids were hopping this past week at Blue Mountain Wildlife! Two classes of 2nd graders visited from Athena and three classes from La Grande. 

Students learned about birds of prey… 

Dissected owl pellets and played the Migration Game…

Baby Bird Feeding Is In High Gear…

Intern Lizzie has been busy! Her day starts at 7:00 am and she is feeding babies, along with her regular duties, until 9:00 pm. There are American Crows…

House Finches…

Western Screech Owls…

And Another Barn Owl…

Six young Barn Owls shave been transferred to the Benton City Center. More than 70 owlets have been placed in hack boxes there. All have fledged, but are still returning for food (mice) at night. It will take them a month or so to become proficient hunters.

Four Great Horned Owls have fledged at the Pendleton hack site, although the two youngest are still quite fuzzy and have minimal flight skills… 

There is a resident family of owls at the Great Horned Owl hack site. Tricia spotted mom feeding one of her youngsters. Mom is on the left. Her full grown offspring is on the right. The resident owls will be great role models for the owls we have placed there…

Swainson’s Hawk 23-114

A few injured birds were admitted this past week, including a Swainson’s Hawk. Unfortunately his left wing was too badly damaged to repair and he was humanely euthanized. The hawk was very thin, having been on the ground at least a week, but  had managed to catch a snake. It is the bulge at the base of his neck (in the crop).

Hanging out with friends at the hack site…