It’s National Bird Day, everyone, and what better way to celebrate than highlighting our two resident raptors: Snappy and Adonis!
Snappy’s Story
Snappy is our Great-Horned Owl. He arrived at the AWCC in 1999 from Anchorage, after suffering a gunshot wound, making him our second oldest resident. Due to the nature of his wounds, Snappy required a partial amputation of his wing and has had a permanent residence here at the center ever since. While he can no longer truly soar, this little ‘hoot’ does enjoy hopping from perch to perch inside his mew.
We ask visitors to respect Snappy by not hooting or calling out to him (he’s certainly a shy fellow), but he can sometimes be heard communicating with wild owls!
Did you know that owls cannot actually turn their heads all the way around? It’s a common myth! They do however have 14 vertebrae in their necks (most mammals only have 7), allowing them to turn their heads ¾ of the way around in either direction.
Adonis’ Story
Adonis came to the AWCC in 1995, making him our longest tenured resident animal! He was found near a remote Alaskan village, suffering from a gunshot wound, and as a result required a full amputation of his left wing. Due to the nature of his wing and his age (our favorite old man), Adonis’ mew (a birdhouse designed specifically for birds of prey) features perches that are lower to the ground, and ramps that allow him access to all points inside his enclosure. In the summer time our animal care staff often give him a kiddie pool to play in as part of his enrichment.
Bald eagles have incredible vision – 8 x better than ours; they have the ability to spot prey up to two miles away, and also have a 340 degree vision field!