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Ken Lockwood, Eagle Valley Raptor Center
Rehabbing and Keeping Raptors
February 26, 2006

PHCoosmom: Ken Lockwood has been working with raptors for 7 years and recieved his certification to create and run his own sanctuary in 2001. Ken runs the Eagle Valley Raptor Center in Kansas and concentrates on rehabbing and exhibiting birds of prey. Ken provides educational programs to civic groups, schools and other groups. Please welcome Ken to The Aviary.

PHCatByte: welcome, ken!

poms2cute_nr: Hello

Anteres: Hi Ken

PHXue: WELCOME!

Belladonna007: Hosdy

maryjo_nr: Welcome Ken.

KenLockwood: Hi Everyone

Belladonna007: Howdy

PHCoosmom: Ken can you start by telling us a bit about your current work?

palmtoolady: welcome ken

LauriT: hello Ken!

KenLockwood: anyone from Kansas

maryjo_nr: Ken, very close...

Sherlock1: Oklahoma...that's close

maryjo_nr: Ken....K.C. MO.

Jane_nr: Next door in Mo

KenLockwood: THey have a great Raptor Rehab in Bartlesville

maryjo_nr: I use to belong to a bird club on the Kansas side.

PHGinger: Raising hand about Kansas!

Belladonna007: Raptor center here in Millbrook NY

KenLockwood: I trained at the World Bird Sanctuary in St. Louis Mo.

Anteres: Raptor Rehab here in Grants Pass, OR

poms2cute_nr: raptors all over here in Florida

LauriT: I live 3 blocks from Yellowstone Nat'l Park does that count?

KenLockwood: Well I think we are covered then!

PHCoosmom: Ken, could you tell us a bit about your work?

PHXue: not here in NC!

KenLockwood: You are very lucky LauriT

PHGinger: Here is a link to Ken's organization www.eaglevalleyraptorcenter.org

LauriT: I know!

PHCoosmom: tonight is a protocol chat. If you have a question, please indicate that you have one by typing a ?. If you have a comment, please type a !. Your name will be called when it is your turn.

maryjo_nr: ?

KenLockwood: Well, I have been rehabbing since 1998. Gave up my job at the Post Office and sold my 65 Corvette to start working with wildlife

PHGinger: ?

PHCoosmom: b

Anteres: ?

PHCoosmom: Ginger, you have the floor.

PHGinger: Ken do you expect the bird flu to be a problem?

KenLockwood: I started volunteering at a private zoo and worked with many exotics. But Bird s of Prey are my favorite

PHGinger: Since migratory birds are carriers and you aren't far from wetlands

PHGinger: or do you think you have enough distance?

KenLockwood: Well the H5N1serotype of the Avian Flu has only been found in Poultry and some wild ducks. It cannot be transmited from Bird to human and it is not a vector type virus like West Nile. Only blood contact from infected Poultry or eating uncooked meat

KenLockwood: To this date there has been no documented case found in the US

PHGinger: I hope it stays that way

PHGinger: GA

PHCoosmom: Mary Jo, your question please.

PHCoosmom: ?

maryjo_nr: Ken, do you do shows and if so, what do you do during the show?

ddix0058_nr: ?

KenLockwood: I do educational programs with our Nonreleaseable Birds. We have 8 species of Owls, Bald and Golden Eagle and I do freeflight with our redtailed hawk, Kestrel and Barn owl. I stress on the importance to our environment, I also give fun facts on the birds, My Owls hoot on command. I mainly format the program to the age of the audience. I also bring talons, wings and feathers for the kids to touch

maryjo_nr: Sounds very educational.

PHCoosmom: Anteres, you question please

KenLockwood: Especially woth owls because very few people get to see them being they are nocturnal

Anteres: Is there anything I can do as a backyard habitat to encourage the raptors to stick around

Anteres: We have resident osprey, hawks of course, owls and an eagle or two, that I know of

Anteres: I love the raptors --- but do have a hard time identifying the different types of hawks

KenLockwood: Well if you have a bird bath you will attract Coopers Hawks! If you have a place to put up a screech owl box you can attract them. There is a pattern you can download on our website to make a screech owl box. www.eaglevalleyraptorcenter.org.

Anteres: Really -- that is neat! I just have a small birdbath -- I'll have to get a larger one --

KenLockwood: You must live near water Anteres

Anteres: I have the Rogue River in my back yard

Anteres: I will download the pattern

KenLockwood: Well I was being funny about the Coopers Hawk. I get calls all the time about them. I tell people to take down the bird bath for a few days and the Hawk will leave

Anteres: It is fun to watch the Osprey hunt...

Anteres: Thank you Ken ...

Anteres: GA

KenLockwood: Yes trhey can dive like no other bird. They are a very stressful bird in captivity

PHCoosmom: Ken, can you tell us how some of your birds have come to your care?

KenLockwood: Most of my birds come via the General Public, Wildlife and Parks, area vets, Human Society and the local Zoo

PHCoosmom: Injured? Bonded to humans?

KenLockwood: People are very passionate about wildlife. Sometimes they bring a bird that there is no way to save it, but I think I give them a place where they feel like they have done something. Most of my birds are injured ones. Most of the juveniles and babies come to me in the spring

PHCoosmom: ?

KenLockwood: We have several surrograte parents Like Barn Owls, Great Horns so that the babies don;t become imprinted

Anteres: ?

PHCatByte: ddix, you had a question for ken?

ddix0058_nr: what types of things does one need to do to become a rehabber? Like the volunteering with the zoo? Can you make a living at it, or is it mostly volunteer work?

PHXue: ?

KenLockwood: Wintertime we get alot of Juvenile Redtails. They are not very good hunters in the beginning.

HomeTweet: ?

PHCoosmom: Thank you Ken.

PHCoosmom: DD, yoiur question please.

ddix0058_nr: I asked it

PHCoosmom: Opps sorry.

ddix0058_nr: np :)

PHCoosmom: Ken did you see DD's question?

KenLockwood: Thats a tough one. Each state has its own rules and regs. I would highly reccomend volunteering with a licensed rehabber for at least a year. take the IWRC Basic 1AB course and start building your facility and have it ready for inspection. You can go to iwrconline.org and see what jobs are available.

ddix0058_nr: thanks! ga

KenLockwood: IWRC stands for International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council. www.iwrconline.org

PHGinger: ?

KenLockwood: They give courses all around the US. You can even be a host and have them come to your city or state

ddix0058_nr: oh that sounds great

PHCoosmom: Anteres, your question please

KenLockwood: US Fish & Wildlife Service is tough on permits. So the more ready & prepared you are the better

Anteres: We have so many varieties of hawks that come to visit

Anteres: Can you recommend a good book to help in identification of them?

Anteres: They all look so much alike to me

KenLockwood: OK

KenLockwood: As far as Raptors?

Anteres: Yes -- but Hawks specifically

Anteres: The bigger raptors are pretty easy to identify

KenLockwood: Any Book store will have books on them. Birds of Prey by Alan Richards called Hunters of the Sky is excellant. GA

Anteres: Thank you -- I have a bunch of them, but I look at the picture and I look a the hawk and I still have a hard time

Anteres: But I will look for that specific book -- Thank you

Anteres: GA

PHCoosmom: Hometweet, your question please?

KenLockwood: Tail Feathers and Eyes and wingtips are the keys GA

ddix0058_nr: !

HomeTweet: thanks Coos, Hi Ken, thank you for being here. I came late, sorry. As an animal rescuer, I often get calls about birds of raptors etc that have gotten off track from their owners, what is the best way to transport them? Should you cover their eyes? I have had to pick up about 8 birds over the years.... I have a friend who is a falconer and has a set up where we keep them till the owners are found...

DonkeyGirl: ?

KenLockwood: A Lost bird will be a scared one. Covering the birds head with a hood is the best. Like a horse with blinders it helps to keep it calm. If you need to transport it right away, a cardboard box is the best with a peice of carpet on the bottom. This will help to keep the bird from breaking wing and tail feathers

KenLockwood: A falconry bird will have a band on its leg

HomeTweet: Thanks, that is usually what we do. We have usually gotten calls late at night, they have been found mostly on the ground in darker areas. Actually quite easy to handle THANKFULLY !! LOL.

HomeTweet: The last two actually had the tethers (sp?) on them

KenLockwood: Yes unlike Owls they give up when it is dark

HomeTweet: finding the owners hasn't been a problem

HomeTweet: Haven't done owls yet... well, except little screech ones...

HomeTweet: thank you

PHCoosmom: DD, your question?

KenLockwood: The tethers are called Jesses

ddix0058_nr: I just had a comment for Anteres

HomeTweet: opps. right, thanks

ddix0058_nr: if you find books with illustrations instead of photos, sometimes that's an easier way to ID a mystery bird :)

Anteres: thank you dd -- I didn't know that

ddix0058_nr: yes, light can be deceivng

KenLockwood: The book I mentioned has lots of pictures with ID remarks

PHCoosmom: Donkey girl, your question.

DonkeyGirl: How has west nile affected the raptor population? Are they becoming resistant to it or hasn't the full affect of the disease hit yet. It is in our area but I still seem to have many owls

ddix0058_nr: ?

KenLockwood: Well a few years ago when WNV was heavy in the east, We found it was hitting Great Horned Owls the heavest. Then Golden Eagles. Now since then we feel that the est coast birds immune system has become stronger in fighting the disease

KenLockwood: We have received fewer birds with the symptoms

DonkeyGirl: I'm in Illinois. So they do become immune?

PHCoosmom: DD, your question please.

ddix0058_nr: Ken, can you tell us about wing wraps? And how in the world do you calm a stressed wild bird?

KenLockwood: Not so much immune, but they are able to fight the disease better. We keep our birds fed up during rainy season

PHGinger: are we ever going to have a rainy season?

KenLockwood: Well keeping the bird calm is first and formost. Covering the eyes is best. It is important to fold the wing in its natural postion. I use vet wrap. It doesn't stick to the feathers. Having someone hold the feet and keeping the bird still is important. First wrap the wing at the Elbow joint. Then fold the wing to the body and wrap the wing to the body. Be sure to stretch out the legs so that you don't wrap the legs. The bird will have trouble with balance so keep it in a pet port so that its movement is limited

ddix0058_nr: thanks, GA

KenLockwood: Keeping the birds in a dark quiet place is the best in keeping it calm

PHCoosmom: PHGInger, you have the last question.

PHGinger: How are you funded and how can we help your program?

KenLockwood: Well I work at nights at Home Depot and my wife works 6 days a week to help cover costs. We spend about $300 a month in mice and rats! Can you believe it! You can donate online on our website at www.eaglevalleyraptorcenter.org. or send a tax deductable donation to Eagle Valley Raptor Center 927 North 343rd Street West Cheney, Kansas 67025 Thanks for any help!

PHCoosmom: Ken, thank you for coming. We do appreciate you and your work. I hope we will see you again.

PHXue: What?????? "I" work at Home Depot too!!

KenLockwood: I enjoyed talking to everyone

ddix0058_nr: wow, thanks Ken, nite

PHCatByte: great having you, ken!

PHCoosmom: THanks to all of you who are here tonight. I appreciate you all being here.

ddix0058_nr: thanks Hosties

KenLockwood: THank you

PHCoosmom: Folks, our next guest will be Dr. Brian Speers, an avian vet. That chat will be on Weds March 1 at 10 pm eastern time.

PHGinger: it was an interesting chat - thank you Ken

Rolindice73_nr: thanks

Rouen: Thanks for the great chat Ken

PHCoosmom: THank you all and have a good evening.

PHGinger: I still plan to visit your facility

Rolindice73_nr: =)

KenLockwood: your welcome Thanks again! I will be back!