Rehab & Release
SOAR provides care for well over 300 birds each year that have been injured or orphaned, primarily from western Iowa.
Eagles soft-released
This picture details who went where last week! Two eagles were moved to the 100′ flight pen and the others were soft released on 11 September 2021. A soft-release is one where after the ready patient is used to eating and navigating in that flight pen, the hack window / door is then opened and
Crusher
This hatch-year 2021 (HY21) bald eagle found herself in a predicament! For some reason she got down inside a rock and gravel crusher and once there did not have enough room to spread her wings and get herself out. (This happened a few years back to another HY21 bald eagle that got stuck in a
Recent Releases
On 2 September 2021, two kestrels, two great horned owls, and two hatch-year 2021 turkey vultures were released. The vultures left the building… sort of!
Adult bald eagle admitted
On 7 August 2021, a concerned citizen in Crawford County (IA) called SOAR to report a bald eagle in need of assistance. This adult bald eagle is very thin and dehydrated plus has an old fracture to the left ulna. The fractures is starting to heal and the wing is fairly straight, so time will
Juvenile bald eagle updates
5 August 2021 was a big day for bald eagles at SOAR! The hatch-year 2021 (HY21) bald eagles from Polk County Urbandale/DH7 and Saylor/56th place have moved to the 100 ft flight pen. Whew. They are zooming and with the low light conditions in the 100 ft flight pen, that makes it incredibly difficult to
Adult Bald Eagle Release
An adult bald eagle that was transferred from Wildthunder W.A.R.S. for continued care and strength training in the 100′ flight pen was released on 4 August 2021. Kay reported that she “flew great.” Those two words are like music to a raptor rehabilitator’s ears!
Feathered Rockets
Three hatch-year 2021 kestrels were released 25 July 2021! Kay described them as “little rockets.” To date, 20 hatch-year ’21 kestrels have been released!
Progress
Several bald eagles have showed their increased strength and stamina! These bald eagles have moved from 10×20′ flight rooms to the 20×60′ flight pen. Here the eagles have more room to stretch out and increase the length (in distance and time) in their flights. The two hatch-year 2021 bald eagles will also be socializing with
Attitude
These two hatch-year 2021 great horned owls showed us how well they learned horned owl defensive posture and attitude. These two were released on 15 July 2021. Kay reported they both flew strong!
Hatch-year ’21 bald eagle update
Two Polk County (IA) hatch-year 2021 (HY21) bald eagles needed rescue in mid-June – one from Urbandale and the other from Saylor Township. Both of the HY21 female eagles have moved to a 10×20 flight pen to continue their weight and strength training. Kay reports both of these youngsters have an improved appetite and that