Snowstorm

Snowstorm burden to birds on the mend
Foundation seeking donations after snow destroyed flight cage

By Katie Ford, Camera Staff Writer
April 5, 2003

BROOMFIELD — As a hawk swoops overhead, Sigrid Ueblacker, president of the Birds of Prey Foundation, points out the damage to the large flight cage that held injured hawks in need of rehabilitation.

"It looked like a tornado hit it," Ueblacker said.

Last month's snowstorm destroyed the roof of the cage, releasing 34 hawks.

Eight of the missing birds were recovered, and Ueblacker said most of the rest are coming back for food and may still be recaptured.

This weekend, volunteers will start rebuilding the large, wooden flight cage. Ueblacker plans to remodel the roofs of the hawks cage and other cages, a project she said could take more than $15,000.

The foundation is seeking donations to fund the cage remodeling. The organization doesn't receive government funding and depends entirely on private donations. A thrift store in Louisville also helps to support the foundation.

Ueblacker said the foundation hopes to generate donations by telling the story on their Web site, www.birds-of-prey.org, and installing a Web-based credit card payment option over the next two weeks. The foundation is also holding a silent auction art show on May 31 at the Art & Soul Framing and Gallery in Arvada to raise funds.

About 100 birds — including hawks, eagles, owls, vultures, falcons and other birds — live at the Birds of Prey Foundation. The foundation, which opened in 1984, rehabilitated more than 500 birds in 2000.

Ueblacker said many of the birds that end up at the center have had their habitats destroyed by development or were injured by vehicles.

There are two other bird rehabilitation groups in Colorado similar to Birds of Prey — Rocky Mountain Raptor in Fort Collins and Raptor Center of Pueblo.

Jerry Craig, the state raptor biologist for the Colorado Division of Wildlife, said Birds of Prey may be the top bird rehabilitation organization in the country based on the number of birds it successfully releases back into the wild each year.

He said the important part of wild bird rehabilitation is that the birds return to the wild and don't live the rest of their life in a cage.

Craig said the large flight cages at Birds of Prey are an essential part of that process because they allow for birds to build up muscle tone through flying in the cage.

Birds of Prey plays an important role because people expect that injured birds they find will be rehabilitated, Craig said.

"This is a situation where the public is making a demand, but the need for it is being met by the private sector and private donations," he said.

Craig said more injured birds are being rescued because development is increasing and destroying habitats and, in turn, more people live in the area and are finding injured birds that need rehabilitation.

He said Ueblacker is just the person for that job.

"She thinks like an owl or a hawk, and she suffers with them," he said.

Holding a Boreal owl while it is tagged so it can be tracked when released, Ueblacker demonstrates the trust birds have in her. As the small owl nestles calmly against her chest, Ueblacker scrutinizes the leg band to make sure it will be comfortable and safe for the owl to wear.

She said she fell in love with birds when her daughter brought home two injured birds more than 20 years ago.

The most rewarding part of her job, Ueblacker said, is watching a bird with broken legs stand again or watching a bird with broken wings take flight.

"They are just precious," she said. "They're beautiful. They're interesting. They're intelligent."

To donate to the Birds of Prey Rehabilitation Foundation send checks to The Birds of Prey Foundation, 2290 S. 104th St., Broomfield, CO 80020. For more information visit birds-of-prey.org or call (303) 460-0674.

Updated by Elke on September 8, 2005 11:23 PM