Cimarron, a red-tailed hawk, spreads her wings while being
shown to children during a visit to the Hastings Museum
through the Raptor Recovery Program Thursday.
It isn't often that Oberon, a great horned owl rescued by Raptor Recovery Nebraska, gives a hoot.
So it was a rare treat indeed when he sounded off during a presentation given by Raptor Recovery to more than 100 children at Hastings Museum Thursday morning.
The animated owl was one of four raptors paraded in front of preschool and elementary school youngsters from Hastings and Hampton by volunteers Jeanine Lackey and Blake Hatfield during the educational program. Joining Oberon were Cimarron, a red-tailed hawk, Captain Jack Sparrow, an American kestrel, and Sundance, a turkey vulture.
Each bird had a different story to tell through its handlers, yet all shared a common fate. As birds that could not be rehabilitated for any number of reasons — including sickness, injury or abandonment — they will live out their remaining days in the care of Raptor Recovery. Based in Elmwood, the rescue organization takes in about 500 injured raptors each year, rehabilitating and releasing those that can be safely released back into the wild.
To read more, see Friday's Hastings Tribune or the Tribune e-edition.>>>
