Rocky Mountain Raptor Program-RMRP

05/28/2026

When Gardens Become Traps

This adult Eastern Screech Owl was admitted to our facility in early May after becoming entangled in garden netting. Although the owl was able to partially free itself, netting remained tightly wrapped around the right wing, restricting blood flow and damaging the delicate wing tissue known as the patagium. Unable to fly or hunt, the owl was emaciated.

After carefully removing the remaining netting, our team cleaned and treated the wounds and started the owl on antibiotics and anti-inflammatory pain medications. Once stabilized and hydrated, the owl also enjoyed a much-needed mouse meal.

Over the following two weeks, our team performed daily wound care and bandage changes while the tissues healed. Although there is some residual scarring to a critical flight tendon that helps support wing extension, we are optimistic this diminutive, but feisty, owl will make a full recovery.

As you prepare your garden for the summer, you can help prevent wildlife entanglements in your own backyard by:
🏡 Using wildlife-safe alternatives such as rigid fencing or hardware cloth
🌿 Keeping garden netting taut and secured close to plants
🌳 Removing netting when it is not actively in use, or after the growing season ends
🦉 Inspecting netting daily for trapped wildlife

Support this patient's care at rmrp.org/donate


📸: 1. The patient in our Critical Care unit. 2. The patient on a perch in one of our Recovery Enclosures.

05/28/2026

Haystack Owls?

Who needs a barn to nest in when a perfectly covered and sturdy haystack is nearby. This is actually a pretty common occurrence in our area with all of the agricultural activity along the Front Range of Colorado and nearby eastern plains. A carefully constructed haystack with well placed rows on the top to allow moisture and heat to vent away when covered with a tarp, provides a perfect home for a female Barn owl to brood her eggs/chicks. This setup also allows the male to a have bountiful hunting area to provide plenty of prey for his mate and progeny.

However, there is a downside to this nesting strategy.

When farmers and ranchers need to access this hay or straw these nests are unknowingly destroyed. This type of situation unfolded last week in southeast Fort Collins and it left two nestling Barn owls without a home. Fortunately, a former RMRP volunteer saw the youngsters on the ground and gave our Rehabilitation team a call. Through photos we were able to assess the age of the owls, their general attitude and if there was the potential for installing a nest box at the location in order to keep the kids with the adults. We ultimately decided to bring them to our facility. An exam showed the kids to be in normal condition for their age. They are loud, feisty, eating well and doing what Barn owl kids need to do. They will soon move out to an enclosure with our non-releasable foster Barn owl who has served as a fantastic role model for many other previous orphans. There they will get plenty of nutritious food, grow strong bones, feathers and develop flight skills before proceeding to our flight complex.

Since Barn owls are cavity nesters, they take advantage of various types of natural and manmade locations to nest. They will use rotted cavities in trees, eroded out cavities in ditch banks, haystacks, various types of barns/warehouses, empty grain bins, under bridges and any other cozy recess near a quality food source. MT
https://www.rmrp.org/donate/

05/28/2026

We won’t rush through teaching you about this speedster! 🪶 Learn about the fastest animal in the world during our virtual Birds of Prey Class!

Join us Saturday, June 20 to learn about Falcons and Accipiters, Harriers, & Kites in the last 2 modules of our expert-taught classes. Everyone is invited to learn raptor identification skills, natural history, and more – from beginner birder to wildlife experts!

Start the day with Falcons from 10 am – 1 pm, and continue learning with Accipiters, Harriers, and Kites in the afternoon from 2 – 5 pm. Registration for one class or the whole day is available at https://onecau.se/_gx2xu1. Want more? You can register for the whole class series to learn about Eagles, Vultures, Owls, and more on June 6 and June 13.

05/27/2026

Happy Wish List Wednesday! More patients are coming in and busy season is coming fast - help support our patients and Ambassadors easily and directly with a gift from Watson's Wish List.

✏️ Red Fine-tip Dry Erase Markers
📏 Masking Tape
🧤 Medium Nitrile Gloves
🛍️ Barcode scanning tape

View our full Wish List and help care for our patients and Ambassadors at rmrp.org/Watsons-Wish-List

05/26/2026

Unlike mammals, raptors don’t have teeth to tear apart their food. Instead, their sharp, curved beaks are specially adapted to rip and shred meat efficiently. The powerful hook at the tip helps them break through skin, feathers, and tough tissue while feeding.

Different species even have slightly different beak shapes depending on their diet. Falcons, for example, have a special notch on their beak used to quickly dispatch prey, while vultures have strong beaks designed for tearing into carrion.

05/26/2026

Cast your vote for RMRP on My Giving Circle until MIDNIGHT TONIGHT!!! No need to donate (unless you want to).

Just share your love and vote for RMRP!

On , MyGivingCircle is giving $3,000 to the 6 charities with the most new votes. It's free to vote — cast yours now.

05/25/2026

Only 1 week left! Gather your photos of raptors and join the fun in our annual Calendar Photo Contest!

Your photos save raptors and the places they live through our annual fundraiser. Submissions close June 1st - don't miss out. Photo submissions are open to anyone, and can include raptors from around the world. Winners will be featured as the calendar's monthly photos and as insets throughout the year. Plus, you'll get FREE calendars!

Submit your photos today: rmrp.org/CalendarSubmit

Photos of nests and AI imagery will not be accepted. If you have questions about what photos are accepted, please reach out to [email protected].

05/23/2026

Volunteer Spotlight! Shoutout to our March Volunteer of the Month, Grace! 🎉

Grace joined RMRP's Education team in August of 2025 and has been a joy to work with. She was drawn to RMRP as a conservation student and has a passion for raptors and the environment.

"I love our mission to protect raptors and to help teach people about how important they are," she says. "I love the community of people who make this place a possibility. Everyone is so passionate about what they do and their love for raptors, both in our permanent care and in our rehab hospital. I love how welcoming everyone is and how strong of a community they are."

Grace's most memorable moments was seeing the passion our community showed for our work at her first gala. "So many people showed up to help and then so many people showed up for the event. It was mind blowing to see how many people loved and cared about the raptors and how much of our community we have reached. Their love for these birds was inspiring and I feel so grateful to be part of this mission."

Thank you for your incredible work, Grace!

05/23/2026

Job opportunity! 🚨 Want to join our fundraising team?

We're looking for a new member to join our Development Team and help us raise the funds that support our work. If you're passionate about wildlife and raptor conservation, and experienced in fundraising, communications, databases, and short video production, we'd love to have you join our team!

This is a part-time, in-person, paid position. View the full job description and learn how to apply at rmrp.org/jobs

05/21/2026

Wanted: Great photos of raptors. Suspect: YOU! Submit your raptor photos for our annual Calendar Photo Contest today 🦅

Photos of raptors from around the world are included in our annual calendar, bringing their beauty into the homes and offices of our community. Your submissions directly support our mission and help save raptors in Northern Colorado and Southern Wyoming.

Submit your photos: rmrp.org/CalendarSubmit

Submissions close June 1, 2026. AI imagery and photos of nests will not be considered.

05/21/2026

We recently admitted an older nestling Bald Eagle from the Fort Collins area that had the unfortunate experience of falling from its nest tree before its wings were fully ready to do sufficient speed braking for a soft landing. Our admission exam revealed an issue with the left pelvic area that was difficult to fully assess due to the amount of swelling. After resting for a couple of days and allowing the swelling to resolve a bit, we knew that the injury was significant and would need further diagnostics.

Enter the highly skilled teams from the Avian, Exotics and Zoology Care Service (AEZ) and from the Diagnostic Imaging Service at the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

After consulting with our veterinarians at AEZ the decision was made to do radiographs on this young eagle to determine the extent of the injury. Once anesthetized, the radiographs were completed and reviewed. However, there was still a bit of uncertainty on how serious the injury was and whether there was a treatment option or not. A brainstorm session between all of these bright minds and our Rehabilitation Staff settled on a further diagnostic step: a CT scan. Besides giving a giving a very clear picture of the injury, it was a great teaching moment for all involved to add more information to build knowledge about raptors and make it available to the veterinary world. The CT scan process was interesting and quite revealing: the youngster had sustained multiple fractures to the left side of the pelvis. While the left leg is still functional, it is a huge unknown on whether the injury will heal properly.

For now, the plan is to let the kid rest, give it plenty of nutritious food and see where things go. A large bodied bird like an eagle needs the affected area to heal properly and solidly, so the prognosis is extremely guarded at this point. We will assess the healing process in about 3-4 weeks, so for the interim, we won’t speculate and will give an update at that point. Please stay tuned. MT