Record number of injured birds brought in to University of Minnesota's Raptor Center
"It's been a record-setting year. And last year was a record-setting year," said Interim Executive Director Lori Arendt.
During the summer months, it's not unusual to see an uptick in eagles, owls, and hawks being brought into the U of M's Raptor Center. What is unusual is the record pace at which they're being brought in.
"This morning, we were at 679 for the year. And last year we were at about 550," said Arendt. "We have birds that are hit by cars, by windows, that get caught in buildings and are hit by ceiling fans."
Arendt said weather is a big part of the uptick. A milder winter means more mice. And more mice means more food for raptors, which in turn, means the population soars.
"Our baby season has just been really, really busy," said Arendt.
Those same chicks have fallen victim to storms and high winds, which have knocked down raptor nests.
The wet spring can be blamed for more cases of West Nile Virus among the birds. Some mosquitoes carry the virus and they've been thriving in this weather.
"We've already admitted more than 40 birds that we suspect have succumbed to the virus," said Arendt.
The Raptor Center said their facilities are nearly full, workers are getting overtime, and they are relying on volunteers to fill the gaps. With more birds coming into contact with vehicles and viruses, Arendt thinks this could be a sign of things to come.
"We are really looking at how can we be prepared for this higher case load and higher number or raptors that we are admitting to our hospital. How can we be proactive, so we are better prepared for it," said Arendt.
As of May 31, the Raptor Center had 80 raptor babies admitted into their clinic, which is 30 more than their record high during the spring of 2023.
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