Audubon Celebrates the Season by Welcoming a

Peregrine Falcon

Audubon Sponsor-a-Raptor Makes a Perfect Holiday Gift 

         Audubon Society of Rhode Island is celebrating this holiday season by welcoming a new Peregrine Falcon to its family of avian ambassadors. The fastest animals on the planet, Peregrine Falcons are formidable hunters. They have been recorded diving through the air at 200 miles per hour as they chase their prey.

 

A well-documented pair nests each year atop the Superman building in Downtown Providence, and can be sighted around the city majestically perched on building rooftops and ledges. They are stunning birds of prey that are as comfortable in the city as they are in wild places.

        Audubon’s Peregrine Falcon permanently injured its wing this past spring when it hit a seawall as it chased shorebirds. With expert care from a wildlife rehabilitator in Connecticut and now Audubon staff, he is adapting well to his new surroundings.

 

 “Due to a severe wing injury, he does not have any flight ability which is needed to survive in the wild,” explained Audubon Naturalist Kim Calcagno. “He seems relaxed and comfortable in his new aviary at Audubon and is very enthusiastic about his meals – always a good sign that he is adapting well!

 

We look forward to introducing him through Audubon programs in 2021, once he is trained and comfortable interacting with the public.”

        You can help to care for this amazing bird, or any of Audubon’s owls and hawks, through Audubon’s Sponsor-a Raptor program.

 

Your gift will delight children and adults alike, as well as provide critical care and support for Audubon’s ambassadors. The staff expertise, diets, housing and special veterinary care that Audubon provides for these previously-injured birds cost thousands of dollars each year.  

       The funds raised from this program allow numerous owls and hawks to accompany Audubon educators on hundreds of visits to schools, community centers, assisted living homes and libraries each year.

 

In 2020, they greeted hundreds of students and visitors in both virtual and outdoor programs due to COVID-19. The Peregrine Falcon will eventually join these visits. Your gift not only provides care for these special birds, it also supports Audubon’s mission to connect people with nature.

Sponsorships make wonderful holiday gifts for the nature enthusiasts on your list!

 

Visit 

asri.org and click on “Learn” and “Audubon Ambassadors” 

or call (401) 949-5454 ext. 3018 to learn more.