Wild animals have always fascinated me and I think there are not many that have the beauty and majestic nature of the birds of prey. While we were at the Bloom 'N Garden Expo on Saturday there was a table set up from a wildlife rescue group. I wish I remembered the name of the group so I could give them credit for the work they do. If anyone reading this post was there and knows the name of the group let me know and I'll edit it into this post. They brought with them three birds that had been injured through accidents or the malicious actions of people.The first bird you see here is relatively common in Tennessee and other parts of the county. Meet Aubrey. She's a red-tailed hawk that was shot and injured. She had a good recovery and is now serving to educate people about birds like herself. If you can't tell she likes getting her picture taken. She looked right at me for it!
Red-tailed hawks and other birds of prey (raptors) eat all kinds of small game like small rodents, snakes, and birds. Their eye site is up to eight times better than a humans. It would have to be in order to see food from those heights.You can see in the back of this picture the American crow. I didn't get a close-up of him since crows are pretty common.
Another feathered friend at the expo was the screech owl. This little bird was hit by a car. Apparently this is quite common since they haven't learned that cars are a threat. Screech owls enjoy a variety of food from small rodents to fish and insects. These little guys can eat all the rodents they want in my yard!