Get Up Close and Personal
With Some of Nature's Best Teachers

Meet our Live Birds

Great Horned Owl

A local wildlife rehabilitator received a Great Horned Owl from around Grand Marais for rehabilitation. He was sent to the Raptor Center for medical attention. Having visual defects in both eyes, he was returned to Wolf Ridge’s education program in August 6, 2004.

Peregrin Falcon

Chup is a peregrine falcon that came to us from the Raptor Center in St. Paul in April of 2010. He fractured his left wing when he was young and it never healed well enough for him to fly, so he could not be released back into the wild. His name comes from one of the sounds he makes. It is a very loud, high-pitched, “chup, chup, chup”.

Red-tailed Hawk

Ruby is a Red-tailed Hawk that we received from the Raptor Center in the fall of 2009. We are not sure how she was injured but she is blind in her left eye. These hawks are some of the most commonly seen because they like to hunt the mowed grass along our roadways.

Buff Orpington Chicken

Elcie arrived June 1st, 2008 when she was one day old.  Buff Orpingtons are bred to lay eggs and are known to be very gentle birds.  She helps here by teaching students about bird characteristics, predator/prey interactions, and the difference between wild animals and domesticated ones.

Where do they live?

All of our live education animals are housed in or near the Science Center. Both owls are native to Minnesota, and live year 'round in their mews, or homes. Each mew is customized with branches of varying sizes for perches and a nesting cavity which can be heated on very cold nights. They also spend time each week outdoors in our "weathering yard." The chickens need more constant warmth and live inside. When not in their house, they can be found wandering the building, looking for fun and company.