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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend November 21, 2005 Cory Alvis of Wildlife Images displays a Eurasian eagle owl who happens to like people. The owl is one of several birds that will be held for breeding at Wildlife Images near Grants Pass. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Flocking to Grants Pass A wildlife center is entrusted with the care, breeding of some rare birds By PARIS ACHEN Mail Tribune Still recuperating from jet lag after her journey from St. Louis, Claire perches in a nesting box at the Wildlife Images Rehabilitation & Education Center in Grants Pass. The female tawny owl, native to the United Kingdom, came to Oregon on Monday with her mate, Boris, a pair of Eurasian eagle owls and a male great black hawk with the sole purpose of procreating. "They are adjusting really well," said Cory Alvis, education supervisor. "The stork may be coming." The black hawk’s mate, a pair of Andean condors and a couple of king vultures are slated to arrive from Missouri by the end of the month. The World Bird Sanctuary in Valley Park, Mo., one of the largest bird sanctuaries in the United States, entrusted Wildlife Images with the care and breeding of the rare birds in hopes of ensuring the future of their species. Advertisement The transfer of the birds reflects a trend among sanctuaries caring for rare, threatened and endangered species following hurricanes Katrina and Rita, said Walter Crawford Jr., executive director of the World Bird Sanctuary. "The recent hurricanes in the South proved to a lot of us that we shouldn’t have all our eggs in one basket, so to speak," Crawford said. "Some sanctuaries lost their whole facilities and animals escaped or were lost. "We decided to disperse our birds, so we don’t have to worry about losing a whole genetic pool." Other birds from the sanctuary’s population of 300 went to private breeders in Illinois, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Texas, Crawford said. For Wildlife Images, the birds add a new component to the center’s mission: breeding. The nonprofit sanctuary has been caring for orphaned and injured wildlife, mostly from the Pacific Northwest, for 24 years but has not bred the animals. To avoid any disruption of the mating ritual, the birds will not be part of the sanctuary’s education tour. "These birds won’t be handled at all because in the wild when they’re doing their courtship gestures, they don’t want to be bothered," Alvis said. The disruption of the move could prevent them from mating this year, she said. When they do breed, they will likely lay one to two eggs, she said. The eggs will be put in incubators and separated after hatching to prevent the chicks from harming each other. In nature, the stronger chick sometimes kills the weaker one, she said. The offspring of the endangered Andean condors will be released in the wild in their native homes in South America through a reintroduction program, Alvis said. The other offspring will live at the sanctuary because there are no reintroduction programs in place for their species, she said. The breeding program will make the sanctuary’s reach global rather than local, said Karen Peterkin, general manager. All of the birds sent from St. Louis are native to other continents. "It’s exciting because it’s a whole new avenue for us," Peterkin said. "We see it as an opportunity to be able to participate in helping the whole environment" rather than only North America. For more information, visit wildlifeimages.org on the Web. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Online Casino Salvia Divinorum Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation Online Pharmacy Online Casino Reviews Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Rogue Valley Travel Discount Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Casino Gambling Sites Budget Website Templates Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Advertisement s