SOAR currently provides care for over 100 birds per year (over 130 in 2011) that have been injured or orphaned, primarily from western Iowa. Most injuries are the result of human activities: collisions with cars, windows, power lines, fences, mowers, and effects from pesticides. Other injuries occur from storm damage causing nests to fall or birds to be blown into immoveable objects.
SOAR receives the injured birds (usually after several phone calls to assess the situation) with the help of volunteer transporters, Iowa DNR Conservation Officers, and county conservation board staff, as well as other wildlife rehabilitation groups. Click here if you find an injured bird.
On admission, birds:
are checked for major injuries -- fractures and wounds that would need immediate stabilization, cleaning, and bandaging -- these will need the attention from one of our two cooperating veterinary clinics
Dickinson County Small Animal Clinic, Spirit Lake, IA
have their eyesight evaluated
have their feathers checked for damage and parasites
are rehydrated -- most birds come in with some level of dehydration
offered food appropriate for their level of starvation
needing intensive care will be housed in small, carry crate cages for security and to limit movement. They will stay in ICU to facilitate bandage changing and administering of medications.
Once birds are stable, healed and off medication, they can be transferred to large flight areas for physical therapy -- exercising muscles into shape, working out joint injuries, and gaining confidence flying. Click here to help support patient care.
Some of our 2012 patients include:
January 31
A male, adult bald eagle was found and initial exam shows a fractured left radius-ulna close to the elbow. The eagle weighs in at 10 lbs. Fluids and antibiotics were given today and the wing wrapped. Blood will be drawn tonight for a BLL test. A vet consult will be on the schedule for tomorrow.
Thanks to the Iowa DNR for helping to arrange transport.
January 16
A female juvenile trumpeter swan found dead this morning. This young swan is the wild offspring of a captive bred pair in Sac County. No obvious reason for death. X-ray and necropsy will be done.
January 16
Another snowy owl... this female was found in Webster County, very thin at 2 lbs 12 oz. Has a toe injury.
**Update 1/18/12 - Kay said she started on the owl on anti-fungal and gave fluids every few hours on the 16th, all the way up to 1:00 a.m. On the morning of the 17th noticed that the owl puked (not a good sign). She gave more fluids in the morning of the 17th and again in the evening all the way up to the wee hours of the morning, but the owl was dead this morning. :(
Thanks to Webster County Conservation for help with transport.
January 16
photo taken 1/21
Adult female bald eagle picked up in Dallas County. When picked up, she was seizing, holding wings and head low, pooping and puking green, plus open-mouth breathing. These are all symptoms of being lead-affected. An x-ray did not show any lead fragments in her body. She weighs 10 lbs, so is a couple pounds light. Blood was drawn for a lab BLL test. Chelation therapy was started.
**Update 1/18/12 - the outside lab results for the BLL came back at 65 µg/dL.
Wow, good thing chelation therapy was already started.
**Update 1/21/12 - another BLL test done in-house and she is now over 65 µg/dL, second round of chelation therapy started.
Thanks to the Iowa DNR for arranging transport.
January 10
Another snowy owl -- this one a female from Wright County. She is "skin and bones." She made it through the night and was alive morning of the 11th. Prognosis
photo taken 1/21
isn't very good when an animal has lost this much weight.
**Update 1/13/12 - On the 11th, this snowy was given anti-fungal to treat her
"funky smell" and feather lice; about 9:30 pm on the 12th she was given a very small meal (2-3 very small pieces of meat) and fluids and by morning of the 13th had not puked it up; the funky smell is gone, she is turning her head and was give more fluids this morning and and another very small meal. Far from being out of the woods, but is "holding her own," Kay reports.
**Update 1/18/12 - This female is eating on her own.
**Update 1/21/12 - This snowy is up to 3 lbs 8 oz, still thin but is eating well.
**Update 1/31/12 - She was moved to a flight pen on the 29th. Kay turned over the frozen water pan to break out the ice... the owl went and immediately sat on the ice! The male snowy will be moved to the same flight pen on the 30th.
January 6
No, not the first patient of the year... Kay received a call while she and Megan (intern) were on their way to Des Moines for a meeting. Megan, Matt (Carroll Co Naturalist), and Rachel helped surround the snowy owl for Kay to "pluck" from the ground. Megan sent the photo at right. Megan emailed that they fed it some venison chunks before they left (again) for Des Moines and he ate them :) The owl is feisty and wants to bite as well as clicking beak, both good signs! Initial, quick exam indicates possibly a dislocated shoulder and a fracture that had already healed over quite a bit - but not in the correct position. May need an X-ray. His left eye indicates that he likely was hit by a car. The owl is thin but not starving... about a pound down maybe.
Thanks to Matt for this explanation on why this is a male: "We know this is a young male because of the amount of streaking it has, as well as the thinness and faintness of it. An adult male barely has any markings at all and is nearly stark white. A young female has a lot of dark markings and they are much darker and thicker. An adult female is somewhere in between. Females are larger too, like most other raptors."
**Update 1/6/2012 - The snowy is eating on his own.
**Update 1/10/12 - Little guy got a dose of wormer to clear up his feather lice. Still eating, but now prefers to be fed. Whatever it takes to get some weight on him!
**Update 1/18/12 - this guy is back up to normal weight, but prefers to be hand-fed. He doesn't need to be hand-fed so "tough love" meant his evening meal was left in his crate for him to eat on his own!
Some of our 2011 patients include:
December 29
Four new patients in today -- crazy!
Great-horned owl from Monona County with a non-compound radius ulna fracture.
**Update 1/5/2012 - The wing was wrapped and will be checked in 7-10 days for healing.
Red-tailed hawk from the Ogden / Boone County area that is thin and has a compound humerus fracture.
Red-tailed hawk found by Des Moines Park & Recreation and (as of the morning of the 30th) is with another rehabilitator / volunteer in the Des Moines area -- has food and water.
**Update -- this RTH died 12/31/2011
Cooper's hawk was brought in from the Polk County area, seems fine -- no fractures or blood in the eyes or mouth -- likely just stunned by hitting a picture window while hunting. This hawk will most likely not be here very long! Rehabilitators and bird enthusiasts have notice an increase of Cooper's hawk activity in towns. These hawks prefer the woodlands over the open country and cities and towns have a more 'wooded' feel to them. Yes, Cooper's and sharp-shinned hawks eat mostly birds and some small mammals and have been spotted at many a songbird feeder. If you live in a wooded neighborhood, feed birds, and have large picture windows in your house, consider hanging (inside or out) streamers or tape falcon silhouettes in the window to break up that "visual nothingness" for the hawks.
**12/30 The Cooper's was released by volunteer Delaney!
December 25
Not such a good Christmas day for this barred owl... hit by a car and has eye injuries but fortunately no fractures. Thanks to the Denison assistant police chief for helping with the rescue and a Crawford County deputy sheriff for transporting the owl to the county line... at 11:00 pm to meet Kay.
**12/31 Update - He (guessing by the small stature) has an attitude today and his eyes look much better.
December 20
A great-horned owl came in this evening from Carrol County with two fractured legs... it was caught in leg-hold traps (there were multiple sets). The owl was euthanized. We're not sure if the leg-hold traps were at exposed bait (not legal, see note) or if one of the multiple traps set with no exposed bait (legal) caught an animal and the owl came in for that animal and got caught in another trap.
Please note -- page 20 of the 2011-12 Iowa Hunting and Trapping Regulations states, "You cannot set or maintain any foothold or body-gripping trap or snare within 20 feet of exposed bait on land anywhere in the state...."
December 20
Juvenile trumpeter swan found at Swan Lake State Park not doing well. Initial exam done this evening and antibiotics were started and x-rays and blood test will be done tomorrow. The swan only weighs 13 pounds when it should be in the 20 pound range.
**12/21 Update - X-rays (had to take 2 as the bird is so big) showed that there is a fishing hook in the esophagus and a lead sinker in the crop. The BLL test was so high, it did not register on the machine (which means this swan's BLL is greater than 65 µg/dL!) Chelation therapy was started. Before surgery can be attempted, the swan must gain weight. She is being tube fed a high calorie 'slurry.'
fishing hook stuck in swan's esophagus
the bright white blob in this swan's crop is a sinker, likely still attached to the hook by fishing line -- the swan's neck / head is off the x-ray to the top
**12/26 Update - This swan is still very sick but is headed to Dr. Dirk's today for possible surgery.
**12/26 afternoon update - Surgery was touch and go, but doctor was able to remove the fish hook and a wad of fishing line with algae and weeds. Unfortunately, the sinker was not attached to this line and is still in her crop. Hopeful now that the fishing line removed that she'll start eating on her own. The swan will also be getting a dose of mineral oil to "clean out" her system and hopefully pass that sinker!
**12/30 Update - She still doesn't want to eat on her own. She had one mineral oil dose and while that did "loosen" stuff up... have not seen the sinker yet.
**1/6/2012 Update - Unfortunately the lead won and the swan died.
Anglers - Catch It! Tackle Company sells lead-free fishing tackle. Their website is under construction, bookmark for future use! A quick internet search for "lead-free fishing tackle" will net you many sites to browse.
December 17
Screech owl found in Carroll County and brought to SOAR. The owl is extremely thin, but has no broken bones, and no signs of frounce. (Frounce is a highly contagious yeast infection of the digestive tract. Typical sign of frounce are white spots in the mouth or crop and described as "cheesy.")
Thanks to Carroll County Conservation for arranging transportation.
December 16
A sharp-shinned hawk hit a window and was stunned. Sac County Conservation assisted with transport to SOAR. Initial exam showed no blood in the mouth, no broken bones, and pupils were equal. Bird is eating and pooping, likely will be a short stay for this one.
**12/19 Update - Time for release!
December 13
An eagle was found caught in a leg-hold trap set near an animal carcass. Wright County Conservation transported the eagle to a falconer friend of Kay's in Fort Dodge. He will feed the eagle until on the way to SOAR. Appears to be just a broken toe.
**12/17 Update - This bird is a female. Her BLL upon arriving at SOAR was 9.6 µg/dL and since she is not presenting any signs or symptoms of lead, no chelation therapy will be started now.
**12/19 Update - She is "bouncing off the walls" in her crate in ICU. The toe caught in the trap was not broken, just very swollen. Another blood sample will be taken today and if no higher, will put her in the flight pen.
Please note -- page 20 of the 2011-12 Iowa Hunting and Trapping Regulations states, "You cannot set or maintain any foothold or body-gripping trap or snare within 20 feet of exposed bait on land anywhere in the state...."
**12/24/11 released near where she was caught in hopes her mate is still in the area and they can find each other.
December 5
Received word that Bob Anderson, Raptor Resource Project in Decorah, received a call of an eagle in need. Bob and volunteers were able to locate, rescue, and get the adult bald eagle into a carry crate. A volunteer was to take the eagle to Ames on the 6th to meet up with Kay. The eagle died before morning, but the volunteer still transported the body to Kay.
**12/7 Update - the body was x-rayed today. No trauma, no broken bones, no lead or foreign objects in the digestive tract. A necropsy will be done and a liver biopsy taken and will be sent the Diagnostic Lab at ISU Vet Med.
**12/30 Update - results back from the Diagnostic Lab with the liver biopsy lead level. Sit down... the analysis showed 48.00 ppm lead. Over 6 ppm in liver biopsy results is definite lead poisoning. More info about testing here.
December 2
A snowy owl was picked up by a falconer friend near the town of Humboldt (and actually in Humboldt County) on the 1st. The bird is starving (she) and is full of feather lice. Thanks to the falconer who fed her the evening of the 1st and morning of the 2nd, she's still alive. We'll concentrate on getting more food and hydration in her before we address any worms and the lice. (Feather lice feed on detritus and don't really make a meal out of the bird itself.) This is the second snowy owl that SOAR has been called about. The other one was from Sioux City area over the Thanksgiving holiday and died before getting to SOAR. Reading the Iowa Birding listserv, several reports of snowy owl sightings. This must be a year of for the lemming population to crash -- no food in their traditional range sends them south.
**Update - this female snowy only weighed 2 lbs. (a normal female snowy should weigh in the 4 lb. range) and died about an hour after the above photo was taken. When an animal has lost half its body mass, organs start to shut down and it is very difficult to keep these patients alive.
November 29
A 2011 hatch-year red-tailed hawk in Guthrie County was hit by shotgun shot. No broken bones but feathers were destroyed on the trailing edge of the middle of the right wing where the follicle meets skin. He will need to gain weight before he moves to a flight pen. Then it becomes a wait and see if when the feathers molt that they grow back properly for sustained flight.
This great-horned owl has an eye injury (see how the pupils are not equal) and there is blood in the eye with the large pupil, a deep cut on the opposite wing, no fractured bones, and is thin. The cut will be cleaned, the wing wrapped, and the owl placed in a crate in ICU for fluid and food therapy. The owl was likely hit by a car when flying across the road.
**12/13 Update - steroid drops helped heal the eye. The owl is in a flight pen.
November 26
This juvenile red-tailed hawk (still has first-year tail feathers) was found near a molasses/DDG bulk feeder at a feedlot in Carroll County. DDGs are the dried distiller's grain that is a by-product of ethanol production that cattle producers use as a source of protein and will add molasses to the DDGs to increase the palatability. He has had one "Dawn bath" already but will need at least one more as his feathers are still sticky. He is already eating. Once the feathers are clean and dry he will be released.
**11/29 Update - his backside looks clean, but still needs another Dawn bath to remove the oily molasses from his feathers.
**12/13 Update - He had his 2nd bath and his feathers now look and feel clean. He's still thin and will stay in ICU until he gains more weight, then to the flight pen.
November 25
Raccoon hunters in Winneshiek County flushed a juvenile bald eagle and the bird flew into a pole. SOAR was able to meet up with a rescuer and pick up this bird. Photo from the 26th. He is starving -- weighs in at 6.5 lbs. He had head tremors, couldn't stand, but had no other injury. His BLL (blood lead level) is 9.7 µg/dL. Chelation therapy is not typically used with eagles with a BLL < 10 µg/dL, this is exposure level of lead. He will receive fluid and food therapy in the ICU.
**11/28 Update - This male is not a juvenile from the 2011 nest. Kay is thinking this bird is about four years old -- his head is just beginning to differentiate to white and body to black with the beak streaked with yellow.
He's still alive and keeping food down but still does not want to stand on his own, however, moving feet and legs, so not paralysis.
**11/29 Update - Seeing no improvement in the tremors and the ability to stand, chelation therapy was started today. He is keeping food down and has gained about 1/4 pound.
**12/2 Update - This male will get two more chelation injections, then have two days off medication. Seems as the head tremors are lessening. He continues to be hand fed and is eating.
**12/7 Update - The prognosis is not good for this young male. He was started on a second round of chelation therapy, but no improvement is being seen. He is still being hand-fed, is not interested in eating on his own.
**12/10 Update - He is certainly not "out of the woods" but is now taking food from the forceps (as opposed to having to open his beak and feed).
**12/13 Update - He was started on his 3rd round of chelation this morning. Mutes are no longer that "green" color of lead poisoning, but still not quite right. He is eating "like no tomorrow," but he still needs to be held and offered food in the forceps. All his body parts move, but for some reason he won't stand.
**12/22 Update - This juvenile finally succumbed to the effects of lead poisoning and died. He was suffering from chronic nerve damage.
Kay received a call of an injured eagle in northern Iowa on the 23rd. She picked up this bird on her way to a family holiday get-together. Kay texted on 24 November that this bird has "classic lead symptoms, started chelation" and this photo.
The bird's head is at the back of the crate and the head is tucked. The bird cannot stand. Note: the bright stripes on the left of the photo is light or sunshine into the crate.
From the description given to her by the rescuer, Kay surmised this eagle had some level of lead in its system and brought chelation medication with her. A blood lead level will be taken once back at SOAR.
As of the morning of the 24th, she (the eagle) was still alive.
This 15 second video clip taken 11/24 shows the classic symptoms an eagle affected by lead...difficulty standing and holding the head up, the wings are often help open, and the bird pants.
**11/27 Update - This female eagle is now able to hold head up a bit better and was able to keep a small bit of food down overnight. She was found in Dickinson County, Iowa. She was weighed on the 26th and is 10.5 lbs. Since she was started on chelation therapy on the evening of the 23rd, there was no point in taking a blood sample for a blood lead level now. Chelation therapy is a series of 8 shots every 12 hours (4 days on) and then 2 days off. Hope to get a blood lead level on her before her next round of therapy.
**11/29 Update - even with a BLL of 9 µg/dL this female is showing improvement. She can hold her head up, but the wings are still droopy. She is biting, footing, and wapping Kay with her wings -- yes, she's feisty. The eagle has been hand-fed food (with forceps and a gloved hand), but was given a small amount of food this morning to see if she's ready to eat on her own. This may be a bit early, but you don't know if she'll eat on her own unless you try.
**12/2 Update - She is eating on her own -- she had a huge meal of cut-up meat the evening of the 1st. Not much interest in food this morning -- likely she's full. Will be switching her into a crate with a perch and giving her food to tear up. She'll be monitored for her interest and ability to tear food and eat, as well as monitor the color of her mutes. See 9/16 eagle's 9/23 update for discussion about the color of poo.
**12/7 Update - She is ripping and shredding her own food! It's time to move her to the flight pen, but that will wait until the forecast overnight temps come up. Before she goes to the flight pen, another blood sample will be drawn for a BLL.
**12/9 Update - She ate an entire chicken yesterday! Still on track for a blood draw Saturday morning and then to the flight pen.
**12/10 Update - Her BLL was 6.6 µg/dL -- good it's under 10. Put her in the flight pen and she immediately went straight up to the far high perch.
**12/13 Update - Continues to eat well and is navigating the flight pen.
Thanks to the Iowa DNR for arranging the pick-up point.
It is illegal to hunt, harm, harass, or posses any hawk, eagle, owl, falcon, or vulture. If you know of illegal activity that is or has taken place, you can anonymously report the activity through the Iowa DNR Turn In Poachers hotline.
SOAR * 25494 320th Street * Dedham, IA 51440
Phone: (712) 830-6116
January 31
January 16
**Update 1/31/12 - She was moved to a flight pen on the 29th. Kay turned over the frozen water pan to break out the ice... the owl went and immediately sat on the ice! The male snowy will be moved to the same flight pen on the 30th.
No, not the first patient of the year... Kay received a call while she and Megan (intern) were on their way to Des Moines for a meeting. Megan, Matt (Carroll Co Naturalist), and Rachel helped surround the snowy owl for Kay to "pluck" from the ground. Megan sent the photo at right. Megan emailed that they fed it some venison chunks before they left (again) for Des Moines and he ate them :) The owl is feisty and wants to bite as well as clicking beak, both good signs! Initial, quick exam indicates possibly a dislocated shoulder and a fracture that had already healed over quite a bit - but not in the correct position. May need an X-ray. His left eye indicates that he likely was hit by a car. The owl is thin but not starving... about a pound down maybe. 
somewhere in between. Females are larger too, like most other raptors."
December 25
A great-horned owl came in this evening from Carrol County with two fractured legs... it was caught in leg-hold traps (there were multiple sets). The owl was euthanized. We're not sure if the leg-hold traps were at exposed bait (not legal, see note) or if one of the multiple traps set with no exposed bait (legal) caught an animal and the owl came in for that animal and got caught in another trap.
December 20
A sharp-shinned hawk hit a window and was stunned. Sac County Conservation assisted with transport to SOAR. Initial exam showed no blood in the mouth, no broken bones, and pupils were equal. Bird is eating and pooping, likely will be a short stay for this one.
December 13
A snowy owl was picked up by a falconer friend near the town of Humboldt (and actually in Humboldt County) on the 1st. The bird is starving (she) and is full of feather lice. Thanks to the falconer who fed her the evening of the 1st and morning of the 2nd, she's still alive. We'll concentrate on getting more food and hydration in her before we address any worms and the lice. (Feather lice feed on detritus and don't really make a meal out of the bird itself.) This is the second snowy owl that SOAR has been called about. The other one was from Sioux City area over the Thanksgiving holiday and died before getting to SOAR. Reading the Iowa Birding listserv, several reports of snowy owl sightings. This must be a year of for the lemming population to crash -- no food in their traditional range sends them south.
This great-horned owl has an eye injury (see how the pupils are not equal) and there is blood in the eye with the large pupil, a deep cut on the opposite wing, no fractured bones, and is thin. The cut will be cleaned, the wing wrapped, and the owl placed in a crate in ICU for fluid and food therapy. The owl was likely hit by a car when flying across the road.
This juvenile red-tailed hawk (still has first-year tail feathers) was found near a molasses/DDG bulk feeder at a feedlot in Carroll County. DDGs are the dried distiller's grain that is a by-product of ethanol production that cattle producers use as a source of protein and will add molasses to the DDGs to increase the palatability. He has had one "Dawn bath" already but will need at least one more as his feathers are still sticky. He is already eating. Once the feathers are clean and dry he will be released.
**11/28 Update - This male is not a juvenile from the 2011 nest. Kay is thinking this bird is about four years old -- his head is just beginning to differentiate to white and body to black with the beak streaked with yellow.
It is illegal to hunt, harm, harass, or posses any hawk, eagle, owl, falcon, or vulture. If you know of illegal activity that is or has taken place, you can anonymously report the activity through the Iowa DNR Turn In Poachers hotline.