Aldo and the Mealworms
It was Aldo the American Kestrel’s turn for interesting enrichment this week. In the wild, over half of a kestrel’s prey can be insects....
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Haley Selen
Sep 20, 20182 min read
Natural History
There’s an odd feeling waking up from a dream and not being able to recall any of its details. A color, a feeling, a flavor might stand...
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Haley Selen
Aug 28, 20181 min read
Digging
After Emory the rat snake explored the great outdoors last week, Digger was not about to be left out on the fun! Once in the grass,...
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Haley Selen
Aug 22, 20181 min read
Novel Basking
Raptor enrichment is always on my mind as I plan interesting things to keep the birds occupied, but it is easy to forget about the snakes...
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Haley Selen
Aug 16, 20181 min read
Sitting in the Sun
It wasn’t a terribly hot day, highs in the upper 70’s, but the humidity was thick. I hurried across the short path between the office and...
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Haley Selen
Aug 9, 20181 min read
Spiders
The mew building was made to keep the birds in – and other critters out. Large animals are easy to exclude with 1/2-inch wire mesh. Each...
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Haley Selen
Jul 19, 20181 min read
Ears
Bird ears are normally inconspicuous. Lacking an external ear structure like most mammals, bird ears are simply holes on the side of...
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Haley Selen
Jun 28, 20181 min read
The Right Tool
Having the right tool can mean the difference between struggling with or flying through a task. In animal care, a good hose is one of the...
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Haley Selen
Jun 21, 20181 min read
Untitled
Aldo preens in the sun, one foot comfortably tucked in his belly feathers, after taking a bath.
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Haley Selen
May 23, 20181 min read
Molt
The asymmetrical shape is most pronounced in the primary flight feathers, those farthest out on the wing where her fingers would be. If...
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Haley Selen
May 17, 20181 min read
In Blue
Both snakes were “in blue” this week as they prepared to shed their skin. The phrase refers to eyes that turn cloudy, sometimes with a...
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Haley Selen
May 10, 20181 min read
Straight
It should be easy to measure a snake, right? A snake is, after all, just a long skinny tube. Unfortunately they can be rather stubborn...
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Haley Selen
May 3, 20181 min read
Feaking
After eating a meal in the sun, Carson the Red-tailed Hawk demonstrated “feaking.” A strange but traditional falconry word, feaking...
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Haley Selen
Apr 5, 20181 min read
Signs of Spring
Despite the chilling temperatures this week, spring is in the air. I was glad to hear the chickadees singing their “Spring’s Coming!”...
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Haley Selen
Mar 1, 20181 min read
Foot Tuck
I am always looking for signs that the birds are relaxed. Any time their head is down (while eating) or covered (while preening their...
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Haley Selen
Feb 22, 20181 min read
Pellet Quiz!
You didn’t think I would let you forget about raptor digestion so soon, did you? Click here to take an extended Pellet Quiz!
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Haley Selen
Feb 8, 20181 min read
Perch Variety
Aldo tried out two new perches this week to spice up his time indoors. First he sampled a flat block perch for an afternoon, then he...
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Haley Selen
Feb 1, 20181 min read
Falcon pellets
Learning about digestive systems and pellet schedules is interesting (at least for me!) and it is also useful to know when caring for the...
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Haley Selen
Jan 25, 20181 min read
Full Crop
I couldn’t resist taking this picture of Carson yesterday, even though it creates a rather backwards story. Last week’s article described...
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Haley Selen
Jan 18, 20181 min read
Pellet Schedules
Ready for a rousing game of “Who Cast that Pellet?” Take a guess with this first pellet: Pellet #1: Pellet #2: This pellet has smoother...
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