Altair – Bald Eagle

Altair was found near Omaha in November of 2022 with a broken wing and had undergone two major surgeries that amputated the tip of the wing. Following the surgery, Altair was not be able to return to the wild due to his injuries.

The Bald Eagle dwarfs most other raptors, including the Turkey Vulture and Red-tailed Hawk. It has a heavy body, large head, and long, hooked bill. In flight, a Bald Eagle holds its broad wings flat like a board. Adult Bald Eagles have white heads and tails with dark brown bodies and wings. Their legs and bills are bright yellow. Immature birds have mostly dark heads and tails; their brown wings and bodies are mottled with white in varying amounts. Young birds attain adult plumage in about five years. Their nests can be 8-9 feet across and weigh over a ton.   Bald Eagles scavenge many meals by harassing other birds or by eating carrion or garbage. They eat mainly fish, but also hunt mammals, gulls, and waterfowl. Look for Bald Eagles near lakes, reservoirs, rivers, marshes, and coasts.

Altair was named by Hamilton Telecommunications. This name was chosen because of its significance to both eagles and the Edgerton Explorit Center’s other science programming which includes a portable planetarium and star shows. Altair is the name of the brightest star that shines in the constellation, Aquila – the Eagle.

Roy was named by Hamilton Telecommunications.

Roy – Swainson’s Hawk

Roy was found by Lake Minatar, by Scottsbluff on August of 2018.  He was very thin, possibly suffering from West Nile Virus and he had a broken left wing.  They eat mice and rabbit but when migrating they will switch to grasshoppers and dragonflies.  They are social raptors outside of breeding season.  In the fall they migrate to Argentina for the winter (one of the longest migrations of any American Raptor, around 12,000 miles round trip).

Roy was named by Pinnacle Bank.

Doc –  Eastern Screech Owl

He was found in Bellevue NE in Dec 2018.  He had a broken Left wing that didn’t heal well and was unable to be released in the wild.  They are a resident of our area and do not migrate.  They live in tree cavities or nest boxes.  They are active during the night and hunt at dusk or dawn.  Their calls sound like a trills and whinnies.  They eat small animals, birds and insects.  Males are smaller than the Females and they will remain together for life.  Owls regurgitate the bones and fur or feathers of their prey into an oval pellet.

Doc is named after Harrold “Doc” Edgerton who is the centers name sake.

American Kestrel – Ted

He was found as a youngster in a tree that had fallen with a broken wing, which did not heal properly.  They are North Americas littlest falcon and the most colorful.  The black vertical stripes on their face are distinctive for all falcons.  They eat small rodents along with grasshoppers, cicadas, dragonflies, spiders.  They nest in cavities and ready made nest boxes.  They are the most common and wide spread falcon but over the years they have been in decline because of habitat loss.  They also can end up as prey for other larger birds.  They can see in ultraviolet light and fly in a very fast stoop to chase their prey.

Ted was named by Edward Jones.