Tenino library welcomes Peregrine falcon visitor

When rescuers found Talus near Millersylvania State Park in 2014, the Peregrine falcon had a lacerated wing and a dislocated elbow.

Stephanie Estrella, of Raindancer Wild Bird Rescue, said she’s not sure how Talus was injured — he likely crashed into something while flying at a high speed. But despite rehabilitation efforts, he never made a full recovery.

Now, Estrella and Talus make the rounds to teach people about birds of prey and Raindancer Wild Bird Rescue. On Saturday afternoon, they visited the Tenino Timberland Regional Library and addressed a crowd of about 30 people.

Raindancer has been operating in west Olympia, near The Evergreen State College, since 2012. At first, the rescue center took in only birds of prey — owls, hawks, falcons, eagles, etc. — but they branched out and began helping bats in 2013.

“They’re clearly not birds, but they fly,” Estrella said. “So we thought that kind of works out.”

Most of the animals Estrella works with are released as soon as they’re healthy enough, but Talus and a great horned owl named Elle are both long-term residents.

Elle was hit by a car near Tenino in 2013, and suffered a head injury and a punctured eye. Estrella said Elle also had a pre-existing wing injury, so she had likely been eating roadkill.

Because of the injuries, she couldn’t be released.

Now, Elle is facing other medical difficulties, Estrella said. She may have arthritis, and could not visit the library.

“We’re deciding what to do with her,” Estrella said. “If we’re unable to manage her pain, then it would be inhumane to keep her alive.”

Many of the animals that recover at Raindancer have been hit by cars or injured by barbed wire, Estrella said. Others suffer lead poisoning after eating animals contaminated by hunting pellets and fishing sinkers.

“If the animal doesn’t die and wanders off, there’s a chance the lead will be introduced into the food chain,” Estrella said.

Birds with lead poisoning often suffer from anemia and neurological issues.

Rodent poison can also cause problems for birds of prey, she said. Rodents don’t die immediately after eating the poison, and if birds eat the animals, they are also eating the poison.

Pesticides have long been a problem for birds of prey. Estrella said that use of DDT as an insecticide once landed Peregrine falcons on the endangered species list.

Smaller birds would eat dead insects, and birds of prey would eat those small birds. The DDT didn’t kill the falcons, but it made their egg shells very weak so chicks died before hatching.

DDT was banned in the 1970s, and the Peregrine falcon population recovered thanks to falconers who bred the birds in captivity and released them, Estrella said.

She said she brings Talus to community events to raise awareness about birds of prey, so people know whom to contact if they find injured animals, and so the animals are kept safe for future generations.

To learn more about Stephanie Estrella and Raindancer Wild Bird Rescue, visit raindancerwildbirdrescue.org.

This story was originally published March 12, 2016 at 9:10 AM with the headline "Tenino library welcomes Peregrine falcon visitor."