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Diurnal Raptors 343

The timing of release is also critical. Ideally, release would coincide with the independence of
wild young in the area, because that is designed to be optimal. If a migratory species, release must
precede the earliest migration dates by at least 2 or 3 weeks for the bird to orient itself and practice
hunting in a familiar place, before linking up with others of its species.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Carol Lee, South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Lubbock Texas, for information
on kites; to members of RaptorCare for generously sharing information, trials, and tribulations
over the last 15 years; and to the great team of volunteers and staff at Cascades Raptor Center for
tolerating me in all my moods.

References

Chesser, R.T., Burns, K.J., Cicero, C. et al. (2018). Check-List of North American Birds (Online).
American Ornithological Society http://checklist.aou.org/taxa.
Hawkins, M.G., Barron, H.W., Speer, B.L. et al. (2018). Birds. In: Exotic Animal Formulary, 4e (eds. J.W.
Carpenter and C.J. Marion), 167–375. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.
Miller, E.A. (ed.) (2012). Minimum Standards for Wildlife Rehabilitation, 4e, 116 pp. St. Cloud, MN:
National Wildlife Rehabilitation Association.
Ponder, J. and Willette, M. (2017). Raptors. In: Topics in Wildlife Medicine, Vol. 4: Orthopedics (eds. R.S.
Duerr and G.J. Purdin), 27–52. St. Cloud, MN: National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association.

Further Reading

Brown, L. and Amadon, D. (1968). Eagles, Hawks and Falcons of the World, 945 pp. New York:
McGraw-Hill, Inc.
Ehrlich, P.R., Dobkin, D.S., and Wheye, D. (1988). The Birder’s Handbook: A Field Guide to the Natural
History of North American Birds, 785 pp. New York: Simon and Schuster, Inc.
Ferguson-Lees, J. and Christie, D.A. (2001). Raptors of the World, 992 pp. New York: Houghton Mifflin.
Fox, N. (2000). Nutrition, The Bird of Prey Management Series. Faraway Films Productions.
International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (2000). Basic Wildlife Rehabilitation 1A/B, An
Interpretation of Existing Biological and Veterinary Literature for the Wildlife Rehabilitator. San Jose,
California: International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council.
Johnsgard, P.A. (1990). Hawks, Eagles & Falcons of North America. 403 pp. Smithsonian Press.
Palmer, R.S. (ed.) (1988). Handbook of North American Birds, Volumes 4 and 5: Diurnal Raptors. 898 pp.
New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press.
Poole, A. and Gill, F. (eds.) (1992–2004). The Birds of North America. Philadelphia: The Academy of
Natural Sciences Washington, DC: The American Ornithologists’ Union.
Weidensaul, S. (1996). Raptors: The Birds of Prey, 382 pp. New York: Lyons & Burford.