In the wee hours of the morning, before the sun has even thought about rising, the raptor volunteer can be found preparing to brave the snow and cold.  Long underwear, wool socks, and fur-lined boots are donned, but this is just the first line of defense.  Heavy winter coats, ski caps and warm winter gloves comprise a second layer.  The savvy raptor volunteer grabs their Carhartt coveralls, as fashion takes a backseat to functionality when one can spends hours in the cold caring for sick and injured birds.  If the volunteer isn’t lucky enough to own the coveralls, RMRP has a spare set available for volunteers on freezing days.

Just as the sunrise is beginning to glow, the first volunteers arrive at the hospital facility on Vine Drive, ready to care for the diurnal rehabilitating birds.  It’s much like any other day at the Raptor Program, with a few extra precautions to ensure the safety and health of the educational and rehabilitating birds in the winter weather.

Every bird in the facility is checked as soon as it is light enough to see.  If snow is found in the cages, every surface is brushed off so the birds have a dry place to perch.  If it snows all day long, this procedure will be repeated several times to keep accumulating snow from collecting. Cage cleaning is abbreviated, as water can’t be used due to the potential of it freezing and creating icy patches.  Large amounts of snow is gathered into buckets and taken outside the cages, so the birds don’t have to wallow through drifts of snow in their enclosures. Food is dropped to the birds after the sun is fully up and the day is as warm as it can get. Food for thin and emaciated birds may be thawed out and fed several times during the day, to give them ample chance to eat warm, appetizing meals.  Some more robust birds may choose not to eat at all, as moving around the cage to eat food may expend more energy than staying puffed up and warm inside their own downy feather coats.  In the evenings, food is dropped to owls as close to sunset as possible, to prevent it from freezing before the owls have the opportunity to eat.

The needs and natural history of each bird are taken into consideration during the cold weather.  The educational turkey vultures at the Environmental Learning Center, a species that migrates to Mexico and South America for the winter, don’t enjoy the snow.  Since their bald heads don’t take too well to the cold weather, they have heated A-frames in their enclosures to help keep them warm. Other migratory birds use this area as their wintering grounds.  Rough-Legged Hawks and Merlin falcons are hardly phased by the drop in temperatures, and often are active and energetic despite the chill. The Great Horned Owls, who stick around all year long, can be heard hooting to each other and to wild owls outside the cages.  Winter is courting season for Great Horned Owls, with the promise of spring echoing in each hooting call.

To borrow from the Post Office motto, “neither sleet nor snow nor bitterly cold” will keep the RMRP volunteers from their appointed duties to care for the sick and injured raptors in our care and for the Educational Raptors who give so much to the community.