Peregrine falcon flies away at Open Door Bird Sanctuary, May 15, 2024. PC: Fox 11 Online
DOOR COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A rare bird of prey is back in the wild, after being let go Wednesday.
The peregrine falcon is listed as endangered in Wisconsin.
The flight in Door County comes after months of rehabilitation.
“The release went spectacular. It’s good to see when a bird is just totally ready to go like that,” said Rob Hults, Open Door Bird Sanctuary Executive Director.
The special delivery arrived from Green Bay’s Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary.
“In October, Rob gave me a call, and said hey, I got a peregrine falcon with a bad wing. Can you help it out? Our staff worked really hard, these last few months, getting that kid healed up,” said Lori Bankson, Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary Curator of Animals.
Lori Bankson says the falcon was found in a Sturgeon Bay park. She says the bird was unable to migrate due to a broken wing.
“It was just a slight fracture. So it healed pretty quickly. But the timing just didn’t work to get him back out right away,” she said.
Rob Hults, runs the Open Door Bird Sanctuary west of Jacksonport.
“Because Open Door Bird Sanctuary is an education facility, we don’t get the opportunity to do releases here very often. So this is really an exciting thing,” he said.
Hults helped coordinate the falcon’s rehab, and was chosen to be the one to let the bird go.
“It’s a big moment. It’s a big moment for the bird. It’s a big moment for me. Every bone in your body wants this to be successful, and to see that beautiful flight. And it takes the bird a little while to get their bearings, and realize I can really go now. And then when he took off, he turned into the wind, got the wind under his wings, and turned his back to the wind, and off he went. It was beautiful. It doesn’t get any better than that,” he said.
“He’ll find some food. Find a place to roost. And he’ll probably be very familiar from what he sees from the sky, because he’s from here, and it wasn’t that long ago, since he’s been here,” said Bankson.
Wildlife Rehabilitators say the release created a partnership they hope will continue in the future.
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