Raptors Descend on Las Vegas, New Mexico

Laura Swartz stretches the wing of a red-tailed hawk

Laura Swartz lifted her arm parallel to floor. A red-tailed hawk dug into her long-sleeved shirt. The steady arch of his beak feigned nonchalance, but his eyes captured every tiny motion in the room. Swartz wore a heavy canvas glove for protection. Her movements were sure, rehearsed. She spread the hawk's right wing. An audience of forty Las Vegas residents leaned forward to examine the raptor's plumage.

"Look at his gorgeous feathers. They're considered sacred by some Native American tribes, and are used in religious ceremonies," lectured Swartz. "These feathers are designed for conservation of energy during flight. Red-tailed hawks will hover and ride the thermals as much as they can. Their active flight is slow and ponderous, but even so they typically travel 20 to 40 miles per hour."

Swartz paused to relax the hawk's wing. He lunged, one leg rising from her arm, talons ready to slash in defensive reflex. The afternoon spring sun cast feathered shadows against the full conference room, making the hawk appear six times his already large size. The audience gasped.

"He's a fiesty one," laughed Swartz. "It's hard to believe he was brought into the Center half alive after being hit by a car."

Swartz is an educator and wildlife specialist at The Santa Fe Raptor Center, a non-profit organization which assists in the rehabilitation, release and preservation of New Mexico's native wild birds. The Raptor Center's special focus is on the treatment of injured and orphaned birds of prey. Last year, 201 wild songbirds were cared for by the Center's trained rehabbers. Of these, 110 were released into appropriate environments. Nineteen raptors - injured or orphaned - were taken in, and eleven of them were released back into the wild.

"We can't release every raptor we save," explained Swartz. "We do our best. Some birds come to us with catastrophic injuries that take months of care and rehab to cure. It's ultimately not our decision which birds can be released; it's up to the bird himself as well as the New Mexico Game and Fish Department. It's illegal for any person or group to keep a raptor without a special reason and permit. This is one of the reasons why this program is so special."

This Sunday, the Friends of the Las Vegas Wildlife Refuge will host The Santa Fe Raptor Center in a live raptor presentation at the refuge headquarters. Laura and Blair Swartz of Los Alamos along with Lori Paras of Eldorado will show a red-tailed hawk, a tiny flammulated owl, as well as several "surprise" birds.

"This is the third time we've hosted The Santa Fe Raptor Center," said Jan Arrott, the Friends' President.  "They put on an excellent program. The community is invited to attend, but please be aware that seating is limited to forty individuals. This is an incredible show for children as well as adults. You won't get the chance to see these gorgeous birds so close in any other setting."

During the last Las Vegas program, Blair Swartz held a flammulated owl in one hand. The bird twisted his head in the strange 180-degree curve only owls know. Swartz scratched the owl between the twin tufts of feathers on his head.

"That owl was so cute!" exclaimed Jacob Denkins, age 11, after the program. "I thought this would be boring, but I'm glad I came. I learned about all kinds of raptors and how to take care of one if I find one hurt on the road. I'm definitely coming back."

Santa Fe Raptor Center program at the Las Vegas New Mexico National Wildlife Refuge, Sunday Nov. 25, noon and 1:30 p.m. Seating is limited to 40; please come early! Free!

Comments

[Carroll]

Those wildlife rescue workers deserve so many kudos for the work they do! Nice article, B :-)

[Wandering Willow]

Oh, I'm such a raptor-o-phile myself. What amazing beings they are. I have deep gratitude for those who rehabilitate the sick or injured ones. Its a really worthy - and expensive - effort to make. I'm glad you are supporting their program.

Great photo too! Is that the new camera at work?

[Jedd]

Raptors are VERY COOL.
There is a program I participated in for a year called "Hawk Watch" that spends every day for 3 months on the Marin Headlands (just across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco counting migrating raptors. Extreemly cool thing to do if you are ever in the area...