New raptor rescue helps owls, hawks, and other birds of prey fly free in LA County again

Los Angeles County’s first raptor rescue is now open at the San Dimas Nature Center and is already rehabilitating sick, injured, or orphaned birds of prey.

The wildlife facility hopes to help hundreds of great horned owls, red-tailed hawks, American kestrels, and other animals each year until they’re healthy enough to survive on their own and be released back into the wild.

Noemi Navar, a county regional park superintendent who oversees the nature center, told LAist they wanted to fill the void left by the closure of Wild Wings of California and give people a place to turn if they find a raptor that needs care.

“They're a crucial part of our ecosystem and they help with biodiversity and rodent control,” she said. “So it's really important that we take the time to understand that they are part of us, and that we can do whatever we can to support them in their ecosystem.”

About the raptor rescue

The rescue has adopted more than 70 birds since it received permits from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and got $200,000 of seed funding from L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger.

Barger said in a statement that raptors are a "majestic sight" across all our urban and rural skies, but sometimes they need our help.

“I’m proud that our County is stepping up to provide raptors the care they need to thrive in the wild," she said in a statement. "The San Dimas Raptor Rescue professional rehabilitative staff will heal these incredible native birds and release them back to the wild where they belong.”

Navar said they typically take them in for two main reasons — natural or human caused.

The San Dimas Nature Center hopes to help hundreds of great horned owls, red-tailed hawks, American kestrels, and other animals.

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Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation

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Owls perched on a ledge at the San Dimas Nature Center.

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Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation

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A bird that’s struggling with being orphaned, an infection, or severe weather conditions are all considered natural reasons.

“But we also get mainly a lot of them for man-made reasons,” Navar said. “So that's like impact injuries, which is like a motor vehicle, collision window strikes. Unfortunately, we get some gunshot wounds, pellet guns and BB guns.”

Poisons, pesticides, glue traps, fishing wire, and nesting destruction from tree trimming are also common causes, she noted.

Once they receive a raptor, the center will check in with a veterinarian, make sure the enclosures are clean, feed the birds until they’re eating on their own, and confirm they’re able to fly freely.

“So all of this is done at a distance,” Navar said. “We try the best as possible to have minimal interaction with them, as we do want to make sure that they stay wild, and they don't get too fond of humans.”

Once the birds are healthy and self-sustaining, they’ll be released back into the area where they were found, which she noted helps the county’s gene pool and biodiversity.

How you can get involved

The L.A. County Parks Foundation recently launched a fundraising campaign to support the rescue, which relies on donations to feed and care for the birds that come in.

You can donate $35 to feed a raptor for a week, support a baby until it's released for $900, or leave a lasting impact with a new mew, which is a type of enclosure, for $10,000.

The San Dimas Nature Center hopes to help hundreds of great horned owls, red-tailed hawks, American kestrels, and other animals.

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Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation

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If you find a sick, injured, or orphaned bird of prey, you can call (626) 559-5732 to connect with the center. They’ve partnered with animal control, Navar said, if you need help with transportation.

They also care for nearly a dozen “animal ambassadors” that cannot be released back into the wild, either due to lasting injuries or too much human contact.

“We use our animal ambassadors as education, so that the community can connect more with these beautiful creatures and will be more willing to protect them, and to make sure their habitat is safe,” Navar said.

You can find more information about the San Dimas Canyon Natural Area and Nature Center here.