Click here for the latest update - Dec. 18th, 2007

It couldn’t have been worse timing for this beautiful female Peregrine Falcon who, after beating the odds and surviving her first year of life, was devastated by a severely broken wing. She certainly would have perished if were not for the help of a dedicated network of caring individuals who transferred the crippled Falcon into the care of Wildlife Rehabilitation & Release.

Thanks go to sharp-eyed game warden, Mark Jeeter, who found the grounded Peregrine Falcon near Davis Lake and to local bird expert, Deren Ross from Auburn, who drove all the way to Truckee to meet Warden Jeeter and transfer the crippled falcon to rehabilitators at WRR.

The falcon arrived late in the evening with a severe fracture to her right wing. The wing was hanging with nothing holding it on but skin. Her humerus bone was severely shattered (the wing bone between the shoulder and the elbow). The wing was first splinted, wrapped and stabilized by WRR rehabilitators. The falcon was then taken to avian specialist Dr. Vickie Joseph in Roseville who, after a challenging surgery, was able to successfully pin the bone. The Falcon remained in the hospital for one week and is currently in a body cast.

Dr Joseph prescribed warm, dark and quiet and absolutely NO STRESS for this endangered falcon. The bird is on antibiotics every 12 hours and Itraconazol every 24 hours. All her meds must be given in her food to avoid handling and stress. She is in a dark and cozy hospital box with a special falcon perch that Dr Joseph recommended be made for her. The Falcon is in a room where there is complete silence and is temperature controlled for warmth. The Falcon needs to return to the vet clinic in Roseville every week where Dr. Joseph  will anesthetize her, stretch out and move all of her wing joints (so they don't freeze-up) and change her body cast. She will be X-rayed again in 3 weeks and, if all goes well, the pins will be removed in 4 weeks.  ....This beautiful Peregrine Falcon is getting the best of care, but it came with a BIG price tag of over $1,200.00 so far, and we still have more procedures to go, as well as the surgery to remove the pins in her bone.

The Peregrin Falcon almost became extinct because of the devastating effects of the pesticide DDT.  The state of California continues to list the Peregrine as an endangered species.  Saving this young female can make a difference!

Make a Difference

Your $25.00 donation will help us offset the medical expenses of this endangered bird. 

With your donation of $100.00, you, or the person you gift, will receive a beautiful adoption certificate plus a Peregrine Falcon picture. Also included is a year long membership to WRR, which helps continue our life saving work. 

To make a donation:

• Go to our "Support Us" page on this website and fill out the required information.  
• Under the section on monetary donation, check "gift."  
• Under "specify name" fill in "Falcon." 
• If you are making your donation in memory of a special person or as a gift to another, add that person’s name and contact information. Example, "Falcon - John Doe, 123 Jones St., Smallville, CA, 95959"
• Click the "Next" button.
• If you donating via PayPal, check "Other" and specify the amount when the PayPal screen appears. 
• If you are donating by check, mail to this address:
  Wildlife Rehabilitation & Release
  c/o Adopt-a-Peregrine Falcon
  PO Box 868
  Penn Valley, CA 95946
• Please include your phone number on your check.

If you have questions, please call Kari at (530) 878-1980.

Your generous contribution will help a great deal to ensure that this injured Peregrine Falcon will fly free once again.

Peregrine Falcon Update

Nov. 28th, 2007

Our Peregrine Falcon may be injured, but she is not down and out! For such a severely injured bird, she is very aware of her environment. On her way to the vet for a checkup, she managed to shove her foot up inside her body wrap, getting her talons caught in the inner gauze padding. Raptor rehabber, Kari Freidig, who was chauffeuring her to her appointment, quickly pulled to the side of Highway 80, slipped on her gloves and got her untangled. This must have been an unusual sight for highway travelers - a lady administering first-aid to a falcon on the side of one of our busiest highways!

After the "talon incident", the rest of the trip to the vet clinic in Roseville was uneventful. Under anesthesia, the falcon's wrap was removed and her incision was inspected. It is healing well. Dr. Joseph carefully manipulated her wing joints to keep them from stiffening up. Kari noticed that a bit of pin was sticking out of the end of the falcon's joint. She was told that this was done so removal of the pin would be easier.

The falcon received a new body wrap (no gauze padding this time). Then, she slowly came out of the anesthesia. Next week, the falcon will have x-rays to see how well the bone is healing.

This wonderful bird is on the mend. Thanks to your support, we can hope that the future will be bright for her.

Peregrine Falcon Update

Dec. 18th, 2007

Our Peregrine Falcon continues to make slow progress. Last week (week 3), during her vet appointment, the flacon was anesthetized and x-rays were taken to see how well the bone was healing. It was a bit disappointing to see that the 2 ends of her broken humerus bone had not yet connected. The pin had migrated a little toward her wrist. Dr. Joseph said that slight pin migration was to be expected, and the pin would need to stay in longer. She did physical therapy on her stiff wing and put on a fresh wrap. Two days later, while checking in on our stoic patient, her caretaker, raptor rehabber, Kari Freidig, was taken aback to see her entire wrap had fallen down and was hanging around her feet. (Was that a smile on her falcon-face? No, it couldn’t have been…) Over the past few weeks it has become apparent that it is her daily project to pick and undo as much of her wrap as possible. So, Kari carefully reproduced the supportive wing & body wrap so it would hold until the following week.

This week, week four, it was off to the Roseville clinic again. Much to everyone’s surprise, approximately 2 inches of the pin had migrated and was sticking out the elbow area! Dr. Joseph rushed the falcon over for x-rays. Luckily the pin was still supporting the fractured area of the bone. The decision was made to leave the pin alone. Dr Joseph felt that the vibration and possible jolt of cutting the external part of the pin could potentially damage the fragile, newly forming bone. The pin was secured to prevent further migration, and our unhappy falcon received yet another wrap, (materials for her future "project"). Dr. Joseph said the falcon would also need to be put back on another round of antibiotics every 12 hours for two weeks. ….Two steps forward, one step back. The good news is that this unexpected opportunity for another set of x-rays showed the bone making progress towards healing, a slight bone callus could be seen signifying that the slow but sure healing process is underway.

What an honor it has been for our group to be able to give this wonderful, endangered bird a second chance on life. Every day sees a bit of progress. Every day brings her closer to recovery. We at Wildlife Rehabilitation and Release are committed to giving her every opportunity to heal. The veterinary expenses are amazingly high. If you can possibly remember this beautiful bird in your holiday giving, it would be much appreciated.

Click here to make a difference

 

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