You can help us care for injured raptors!
These red-shouldered hawk siblings, approximately a month old, fell from their nest into a roadway on a hot, record-breaking day. We try to re-nest young birds whenever possible because their parents can care for, and teach them, much better than we can. But the high heat and location of the nest made it too likely they would not survive.
This beautiful female golden eagle was rescued from Bella Vista, CA, but died of lead poisoning and starvation. This bird was found in the Fall, when lead exposure typically comes from scavenging on gut piles left from large game animals, such as deer and wild pigs, or from ground squirrels who are shot for target practice. In 2019, the ban on lead in ammunition in California went into effect. Wildlife foraging in California are still carrying sub-lethal levels of lead though, sometimes sickening and dying slowly from lead poisoning.
To further our mission of taking substantive action to protect the natural world, Battle Creek Alliance members began rescuing and rehabilitating birds of prey (raptors) in 2013. We have expanded to also operate as Defiance Canyon Raptor Rescue to rescue and rehabilitate eagles, hawks, owls, and falcons. Raptor rescue and rehabilitation is not funded by governmental agencies; generally, wildlife agencies do not perform rescues. See the introductory video to our work here Call (530) 474-5803 for rescue help.
People often focus on individual species, but we believe every species is important, whether it is on a man-made list or not. Habitat fragmentation and loss have serious effects on wildlife. Raptor rescue and rehabilitation, in conjunction with our work to keep watersheds and forests intact, addresses the root causes of the problems.
Go here to find a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in California.
Wildlife Rescue
Rehab of a nestling Cooper's hawk
Some recent rescues:
This bald eagle was found on a roadside near the town of Bieber, probably hit by a car. A volunteer from Tehama Wildcare traveled to capture him. A Fall River Mills game warden drove him part of the way to us and we cared for him overnight. The following day we took him to the vet hospital at UC Davis. He had surgery for a broken lower mandible and had a break in his left wing. He recuperated at the UC Davis Raptor Center.
Our Facebook page disappeared 1/2/2022 . See the "Raptor Tails" we began posting for stories about raptors and rescues.
Here is a video of an eagle we rescued last year.
Here is our Flickr site with more photos and stories.
March 2017. We rescued a bald eagle who was shot in Red Bluff.
May 2018: Video of 2 bald eaglets rescued/renested here
Wildlife is often poisoned by chemicals, either firsthand, or secondhand by eating another animal who has been poisoned. An excellent site with valuable information is: raptorsarethesolution.org
An article which explains the problems rat poison causes wildlife is here
2022: New posts of stories about raptors and rescues
Cal Fire burns near nest, eaglets die
2023: KRCR News video of eagle release
Great horned owl chick being fed
2024: Release of bald eagle
UPDATE: Although no one thought this eagle would fly again, his wing healed and he was released!
In 2014 we received a call about a gray fox who the finders had penned because he was blind in one eye. Luckily for the fox, the finders let him go. In Spring of 2016 one of our volunteers saw this fox with one blind eye with another fox, about a mile from where the call came from, surviving just fine. The laws for wildlife rehabilitation do not usually allow us to release one-eyed animals.
Note: SOL Communications, where you will be directed, is our fiscal sponsor. EIN: 95-4648687
This adult male red-shouldered hawk was hit by a vehicle in Fall River Mills. Many of the birds we receive have been injured on roads.
Hawks, and other raptors, are an important part of Nature's check and balance system. One hawk or owl consumes about 1,000 rodents per year!
This light morph red-tail was found by the side of the road, but recovered and was able to go back home. Light and dark morph red-tails are a small percentage of the population.
battlecreekalliance@gmail.com
Rock Creek Rd. Manton, CA 96059
A new red-tailed hawk patient surveys the situation.
We imagine he is saying: "Where am I, and what am I doing in this box?"
Bald eaglet "Loch" is released by Defiance Canyon's wildlife rehabilitator Marily Woodhouse in 2020.
Below: This bald eagle is only 12 weeks old and weighs about 10 pounds, but this gives an idea of the size of her wingspan next to a 5'7" person.
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