Releasing an Eagle

We here at The Bird Nerd Inc. (mainly me) interrupt our normal programming and posts about the birds that I've been able to see out in the world, in order to announce an exciting development in the life of a wanna-be amateur ornithologist. (Coming up next in the usual posts, the Keel-billed Toucan!)

Alaska Raptor Center, Sitka

I am currently working in Alaska with my brother, Bryce, and our company has been bouncing us back and forth between Juneau and Sitka this summer. Sitka is the home of the Alaska Raptor Center, a fantastic center focused on doctoring injured birds, educating people about these amazing creatures, and when possible, releasing rehabilitated birds back into the wild. The dedicated staff at the Raptor Center teach over thirty thousand people a year about these birds and the mission of the center. I signed up to volunteer there on my days off, learning how to clean out the bird's cages, as well as the most efficient way of cutting up dead rats.

On June 22nd, 2013 (today), I was privileged for the first time to see a mature bald eagle that suffered a fractured wing be released back into the wild. The bird was hooded to keep it calm, and when the time came, the hood was taken off, and the bird took off for the trees. I was able to photograph the event, and was pleased to hear that they would be releasing another bird in another 15 minutes. I asked my tour group if they wanted to stay for the release of the next bird, and they were eager to see another eagle released.

Removing the hood

Releasing the eagle

At the appointed time, we moseyed over towards the release point. On the way back up to the trail where the previous excursion took place, the Raptor Center Director called my name. I hurried over to her, where she ordered me to give my camera, a Nikon D-50 that I've loved for 7 years, to one of the staff. I was momentarily confused, until she said "You're gonna release this next one."

Lila, an Immature Bald Eagle

I almost passed out from excitement. I couldn't believe it. A staff member took me over to an area where I put on a leather jacket and a pair of Xtratuf rain boots. Getting to the appointed area, I was hustled over to a gentleman holding a hooded immature bald eagle known as Lila. Picked up on last December 24th, it is not known exactly what was wrong with her. Some locals reported seeing her lying on the ground for a couple of days, and she was taken to the center where she was given a complete physical examination.

Lila was transferred to my arms, and the transition must have startled her, for she tried to flap her wings and struggled to get away. I quickly learned just how strong these birds are. Despite only weighing 7-14 lbs, eagles are incredibly powerful birds. As gently as possible, two staff helped me get her into a comfortable position, where she calmed back down.

At the appointed time, I squatted down towards a lump of muskeg where we would be releasing her. A staff member untied the hood, and when sure that I was in position, pulled the hood off. With 50 or so people watching, I immediately started to put Lila on the muskeg. Alas, she had other plans. Before I could get her there, she realized that she had been freed, and with a mighty flap, and possibly slightly disoriented, took off and circled towards the boardwalk where tourists and staff were standing with cameras. She quickly figured out that she wanted to get further away from people, not closer, and swooped around and landed in the muskeg fifty ft. away to get her bearings. She sat there for two or three minutes, and then headed towards the tops of the trees and out of sight.

It was an incredible experience, and I will never forget the majesty of seeing a wild creature take off back into the habitat that they belong in. Ours is the duty, when possible, to allow these birds to live in the environment that they were born in. And the dedicated staff at the Alaska Raptor Center made that happen for two beautiful bald eagles here in Sitka, Alaska.

Removing the Hood

Raptor Release

Raptor Returning Home

Vermilion Flycatcher

 Vermilion Flycatcher

Pyrocephalus rubinus

Range: Southern United States to Central Argentina 

Male Vermilion Flycatcher

Flycatchers are generally considered to be a rather drab group of birds. However, the Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) stands as a brilliant exception, with a striking scarlet plumage that many birders enjoy. A member of the Tyrant flycatcher family, there are twelve subspecies of Vermilion Flycatcher that range from the southern tip of the United States from Southern California across to Texas and as far down into South America as central Argentina. They also inhabit the Galapagos islands, and as such, are occasionally called Darwin’s Flycatcher or the Galapagos Flycatcher.

Description:

This species of flycatchers grows 6-7” in length. Is a dimorphic species. Males have a stunning scarlet crown, throat and belly, with a brownish black tail, back and wings. The females have a lighter brown head and back than the males, and have a pink belly that are not as flashy as the males, but nonetheless more colorful than most other flycatchers. These birds are known to live for up to five and a half years in the wild, and could possibly live slightly longer. 

Habitat and Breeding:

Vermilion Flycatcher Range Map

Flycatchers seem to prefer somewhat open areas in riparian woodlands, savannah and agricultural areas, and if a water source is nearby, can be found in areas of scrub or even desert. They eat mainly insects, usually hunting from an exposed perch, where they can dart out to snatch passing prey. 

Male Vermilion Flycatchers often initiate copulation by presenting a showy insect, such as a butterfly, to the female. These flycatchers are monogamous, and the female will lay 2-4 eggs in a nest made of roots, twigs and stems, followed by a two-week incubation period. Both parents help feed the young fledglings for an additional 15 days until the young   are ready to leave the nest. A mated pair of Vermilion Flycatchers can raise up to two broods per year.  

The first time I encountered a Vermilion Flycatcher was on a study abroad in Central America. Down at the site of the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan in Central Mexico, those of us in the ornithology class noticed a small, red bird outside the bus just as we arrived at the ruin site. As all we had seen previously were grackles, pigeons, and sparrows in Mexico City, we were very excited to do some "real" birding and identify something out of the ordinary, and out of the city. We spilled off of the bus and got to work photographing and generally geeking out over this important find. The Vermilion Flycatcher was the first real venture into birdwatching in Central America for many of us, and thus I have a bit of a soft spot for these brilliant birds. 

Vermilion Flycatchers stand out against the foliage