Hank's Story (as told to Linda Barker)
My name is Hank. I hatched in the spring of 2010 and am a female red tailed hawk. While I was still in the nest, I had an accident and broke my right leg. Fortunately, I was sent to a bird hospital and very talented people fixed me. Now I can stand on both legs. As I was getting well I learned to like people, however; if I ever knew, I forgot how to hunt or be afraid of humans and other dangers. I now live in the OCBPC with other raptors like me. My home is called a mew. This term used in falconry is from the Old French/Latin meaning to molt or change. Birds were put in mews when they molted each year. My mew is very comfortable. As I am a curious bird, it’s great to have a window where I can watch things going on outside.
Every day someone comes in the door to my mew. Most of the time they are there to feed me, clean my water bowl, and pick up any food I haven’t eaten. There usually aren’t any leftovers. I like to eat. One day each week, someone comes in for quite a while. They work hard and when they leave my mew is really clean and looks great.
On certain days, my handlers come to get me and I know it’s time for my favorite activity. They always have a big glove on their left arm, a colorful leash draped over their shoulders and jesses in their hand. I know they want me to hop on the glove. Since I’m so eager, I like to jump around a bit, but I know I have to behave so I’m able to go outside! I need to mention that I always wear leather anklets around my legs. They have a hole in them. When I sit quietly, the handler puts leather strips, called jesses, into the holes in my anklets. They then attach the swivel, run the leash through that swivel, and then wrap the leash around their glove. Once we’re ready, we go through my mew door, then move to the main door and we’re outside! I get to sit on a great perch and look around, feel the wind on my wings and enjoy the sun.
I know something exciting is going to happen when one of my handlers comes in with the glove and has me hop into a special crate. When this happens, there are usually a few other birds jumping into crates too which are then picked up and moved into a really shiny car! We’re called education birds. Often there are three people escorting me. I don’t think most birds get to ride in cars. There is a loud noise when they start the car. I am not flying, walking or anything, but we’re moving pretty fast. We start and stop and start again. I am so curious about what is going on outside but I can’t see out of my crate very well. It’s probably better that way. Suddenly, the car stops and I know a new adventure is about to begin! All of the crates are moving and then they set us on the ground. The next thing I know my crate is lifted and I am allowed to come out. Yeah! Click here to see me at an event.
Each place looks very different from home. There is always a lot of noise and lots of people. Is that music? Are there dogs? What are those tiny people that squeal and why is everyone making funny noises? I hear a lot of Wows! I think that’s a good thing! My handler is amazing and calms me down, and assures me that I am safe, just in a different place, and that everything is okay. The people love me! They say I’m beautiful, amazing, handsome (of course, I know all these things, but it is nice to hear it.) They put funny silver or black things up to their face that make a clicking noise. My handler comments that these are cameras that take pictures. Really? I think people like pictures, it seems they are always taking them. Short people, tall people, all kinds of people come up to me. Everyone wants a picture. Sometimes they want to be in the picture too, right next to me. I am so glad my handler is there talking to people about me and my home. He lets them know what they can do to help keep my relatives safe out in the wild. I like people and enjoy letting them admire me. But I really don't like it when people try to touch me. No thank you!
I like to be out from under anything over my head, so my handler lets me enjoy the sun and the wind. Soon the crows come, up to 50 of them, an entire murder (group) of crows. I just don’t get it about crows. I have heard they are really smart, but boy when I am out there on my handler’s fist they just can’t quit. What do they think is going to happen? I am certainly not going to leave my handler. The noise, that cawing…cawing gets old very fast. They fly around, land in a tree, squawk, and then fly around again. It’s annoying. They finally realize I am not moving and quiet down until my handler and I move a bit, and bam, here they come again. The people think it’s really funny and ask what’s going on. My handler tells them that crows are afraid of me and want me to go away. Well, I always say good luck with that crows, I am staying right here, thank you very much.
We usually visit with people for a while. At times I’m on my handler’s fist, and other times I’m on my perch. The handler talks about us and the Center and gives ideas on how people can help and maybe even volunteer. That would be good for me and the other birds in our mews. We sometimes bring a great horned owl, a burrowing owl, and a Western screech owl too. People seem to like the little owl, but really, I think I am the favorite. I like going out to these different places, but it sure is nice to get back home too.
Soon I’m back to my own perches! My window! And good food is waiting! The mouse is really tasty and a nice reward for being good. After my handler releases me in my mew, they tell me what a good bird I was and about how much the people liked me. Well, of course, I knew that, but it is nice to hear. Before long everyone leaves in their noisy cars and it gets very quiet. I let all the other birds being taken care of in the mews know I am home and then I settle down and rest.
It’s always a very nice day, except of course, for when those silly crows show up. I hope you liked reading about my days out visiting with people. I enjoy it a lot, and hope to be able to do that for a long time. It’s important for people to know about me and other raptors so they can keep the open spaces available and take care not to harm us. I think the more you know, the more likely you will see us in the beautiful blue skies the next time you look up.
Every day someone comes in the door to my mew. Most of the time they are there to feed me, clean my water bowl, and pick up any food I haven’t eaten. There usually aren’t any leftovers. I like to eat. One day each week, someone comes in for quite a while. They work hard and when they leave my mew is really clean and looks great.
On certain days, my handlers come to get me and I know it’s time for my favorite activity. They always have a big glove on their left arm, a colorful leash draped over their shoulders and jesses in their hand. I know they want me to hop on the glove. Since I’m so eager, I like to jump around a bit, but I know I have to behave so I’m able to go outside! I need to mention that I always wear leather anklets around my legs. They have a hole in them. When I sit quietly, the handler puts leather strips, called jesses, into the holes in my anklets. They then attach the swivel, run the leash through that swivel, and then wrap the leash around their glove. Once we’re ready, we go through my mew door, then move to the main door and we’re outside! I get to sit on a great perch and look around, feel the wind on my wings and enjoy the sun.
I know something exciting is going to happen when one of my handlers comes in with the glove and has me hop into a special crate. When this happens, there are usually a few other birds jumping into crates too which are then picked up and moved into a really shiny car! We’re called education birds. Often there are three people escorting me. I don’t think most birds get to ride in cars. There is a loud noise when they start the car. I am not flying, walking or anything, but we’re moving pretty fast. We start and stop and start again. I am so curious about what is going on outside but I can’t see out of my crate very well. It’s probably better that way. Suddenly, the car stops and I know a new adventure is about to begin! All of the crates are moving and then they set us on the ground. The next thing I know my crate is lifted and I am allowed to come out. Yeah! Click here to see me at an event.
Each place looks very different from home. There is always a lot of noise and lots of people. Is that music? Are there dogs? What are those tiny people that squeal and why is everyone making funny noises? I hear a lot of Wows! I think that’s a good thing! My handler is amazing and calms me down, and assures me that I am safe, just in a different place, and that everything is okay. The people love me! They say I’m beautiful, amazing, handsome (of course, I know all these things, but it is nice to hear it.) They put funny silver or black things up to their face that make a clicking noise. My handler comments that these are cameras that take pictures. Really? I think people like pictures, it seems they are always taking them. Short people, tall people, all kinds of people come up to me. Everyone wants a picture. Sometimes they want to be in the picture too, right next to me. I am so glad my handler is there talking to people about me and my home. He lets them know what they can do to help keep my relatives safe out in the wild. I like people and enjoy letting them admire me. But I really don't like it when people try to touch me. No thank you!
I like to be out from under anything over my head, so my handler lets me enjoy the sun and the wind. Soon the crows come, up to 50 of them, an entire murder (group) of crows. I just don’t get it about crows. I have heard they are really smart, but boy when I am out there on my handler’s fist they just can’t quit. What do they think is going to happen? I am certainly not going to leave my handler. The noise, that cawing…cawing gets old very fast. They fly around, land in a tree, squawk, and then fly around again. It’s annoying. They finally realize I am not moving and quiet down until my handler and I move a bit, and bam, here they come again. The people think it’s really funny and ask what’s going on. My handler tells them that crows are afraid of me and want me to go away. Well, I always say good luck with that crows, I am staying right here, thank you very much.
We usually visit with people for a while. At times I’m on my handler’s fist, and other times I’m on my perch. The handler talks about us and the Center and gives ideas on how people can help and maybe even volunteer. That would be good for me and the other birds in our mews. We sometimes bring a great horned owl, a burrowing owl, and a Western screech owl too. People seem to like the little owl, but really, I think I am the favorite. I like going out to these different places, but it sure is nice to get back home too.
Soon I’m back to my own perches! My window! And good food is waiting! The mouse is really tasty and a nice reward for being good. After my handler releases me in my mew, they tell me what a good bird I was and about how much the people liked me. Well, of course, I knew that, but it is nice to hear. Before long everyone leaves in their noisy cars and it gets very quiet. I let all the other birds being taken care of in the mews know I am home and then I settle down and rest.
It’s always a very nice day, except of course, for when those silly crows show up. I hope you liked reading about my days out visiting with people. I enjoy it a lot, and hope to be able to do that for a long time. It’s important for people to know about me and other raptors so they can keep the open spaces available and take care not to harm us. I think the more you know, the more likely you will see us in the beautiful blue skies the next time you look up.
