Rehabilitation
Meet Uno
I don't typically name patient's, but this one was well deserving. Uno was the very first patient admitted to Wings Raptor Center. Uno is a Red-tailed Hawk, admitted with dehydration, internal and external parasites, anemia, infection, and a chest injury, which indicated that it was possibly hit by a moving vehicle. With fluids and other medical treatment, this hawk stabilized with rehabilitation and treatment. Uno was reconditioned and prepared for release. Uno was successfully released to its home.
Uno was physically reconditioned prior to release. This is a critical step in the rehabilitation process. Raptors must maintain a level of performance fitness to function normally and survive in the wild. Creance is a flight conditioning technique used to build muscle and endurance through exercise. Jesses are leather straps that are attached to the lower legs of the bird. A long light weight cord is then added to the straps. This cord helps to control the bird while it is free flying. The goal is to increase the number of flights and the distances the bird is flying. It may take several sessions for optimum strength and conditioning to be achieved.