Talon Ridge Raptor Institute

Talon Ridge Raptor Institute Research. Conservation. Education. Mutual Aid.

Yesterday, our team had the opportunity to visit and tour (May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center at Lees McRae College) in...
05/16/2026

Yesterday, our team had the opportunity to visit and tour (May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center at Lees McRae College) in Banner Elk, NC! It was an opportunity for our Executive Director to meet and learn from their team, but it was a homecoming for our Volunteer Coordinators, Taylor and Dylan! They are graduates of Lees McRae College and worked at May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center for many years before finding their way to Talon Ridge. Check out the lovely photo of Taylor and Dylan with their mentor, Director Nina!

Director Nina Fischesser started her wildlife rehabilitation clinic back in the 90s very similarly to how Talon Ridge Raptor Institute is today. It was exciting to learn how Nina has adapted and grown her center over the years, and it is especially exciting to see so many similarities between our organizations. While we have a long way to go, it’s inspiring to see success stories like Nina’s and people like her help pave the way for young organizations like us!

We are so grateful to Nina for taking the time from her busy schedule to introduce us to their facility and all of the amazing people that keep it running, and we look forward to opportunities to work and learn from them in the future! 🦉

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the wonderful mothers out there! Your love and relentless dedication to your families do no...
05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the wonderful mothers out there! Your love and relentless dedication to your families do not go unseen, and we want to recognize all of your hard work to keep everything running smooth! 🌼

Today, we want to celebrate some very special “mothers” that we hold near and dear to our hearts, the Bird Team! On May 1st, 2025, the Zoo’s bird team successfully hatched an Eurasian Eagle-Owlet, highlighting their dedication and expertise to the science of aviculture. They continued to demonstrate their knowledge and skill as they worked around the clock for weeks to ensure that this owlet’s needs were met. On June 1st, exactly one month after the hatch date, this owlet officially made the trip home to East Tennessee where she later became known as Wicca, our beloved avian ambassador. We are so thankful for all of the hard work that Wicca’s human mom’s poured into her during those first 4 weeks of life, and we are grateful for their continued support and friendship! Happy Mother’s Day! 🦉

Swipe to see some of Wicca’s first baby photos! ❤️

Messages like these are why we do what we do! ❤️We are so grateful to have the opportunity to educate the public on the ...
05/05/2026

Messages like these are why we do what we do! ❤️

We are so grateful to have the opportunity to educate the public on the amazing world of raptors. Connection is conservation — seeing Wicca play with enrichment, vocalizing with her iconic “hoot”, or doing what birds do most naturally, soaring over your head, offer our guests the unique opportunity to make real-life connections with raptors that transcend preconceived ideas or beliefs. While Wicca is a unique species not found in the heart of Greater Appalachia (or North America in general), she is an ambassador for her species and other birds like her. We love to see her already breaking down barriers and creating memories for guests that will last a lifetime! 🦉

Do you have a favorite Wicca memory?

Our SOARR Team recently responded to a call for an injured juvenile Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis). This hawk had a...
05/05/2026

Our SOARR Team recently responded to a call for an injured juvenile Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis). This hawk had attempted to predate on the caller’s chickens and found itself in a fight with a rooster. Our team was able to collect the bird and transport to SOARR partner, Chris-Lisa Thomison of Owl Ridge Raptor Center in Washburn, TN.

You may remember from a recent post that our staff are working towards obtaining their wildlife rehabilitation licenses, and our President/Executive Director, John, was able to assist Lisa in the triage, wound management, and pain management of this hawk. Another great learning opportunity! Unfortunately, the hawk suffered a significant injury to its left eye. While a prognosis is not available at this time, the hawk received care that will hopefully aid in its recovery. Additionally, this bird had a very low body condition score. Scoring body condition (similar to how you may keep track of your pet’s body condition at home) gives us additional information that can help us better understand the scope of the situation the bird is in while also assisting in determining the best course of action moving forward. This bird was likely starving, and attacked the chickens/rooster in a desperate attempt to find food. Unfortunately, only ~10% of all juvenile red-tailed hawks make it to adulthood. While this is a reality for many hawks, we are hopeful that with some time and quality care, this bird with heal.

To learn more about SOARR, and our raptor rescue efforts, click the link below!

https://www.talonridgeraptors.org/soarr

Happy 1st Hatch Day, Wicca! 🐣🦉It feels just like yesterday that you were that little (yet somehow big) puddle of floof, ...
05/01/2026

Happy 1st Hatch Day, Wicca! 🐣🦉

It feels just like yesterday that you were that little (yet somehow big) puddle of floof, and we are so proud of the ambassador you are turning into for your species and for other owls and raptors alike! We see the spark you ignite amongst the people that meet you, and we stand in awe of you every single day. There truly isn’t a better ambassador owl than you! We are so fortunate to have the opportunity to care for you, and we can’t wait to watch you grow into owl you were always meant to be. We love you Wicca! ❤️

You can celebrate Wicca’s hatch day and support her ongoing care by making a donation via the link below! 🥚

https://www.talonridgeraptors.org/make-a-donation

Today was all about learning new skills and continuing education! It’s our goal to launch a raptor rehabilitation progra...
04/30/2026

Today was all about learning new skills and continuing education! It’s our goal to launch a raptor rehabilitation program in the near future, but we first have to make sure that we have the skills necessary. Our President and Executive Director, John, has been interning at Owl Ridge Raptor Center under the instruction of Chris-Lisa Thomison to learn the skills to provide critical care to our injured native raptors. John was practicing fluid therapy today, along with tube feeding on a cadaver bird (while not every bird can be saved, they can still be used to teach and help save future birds). In order to become a licensed raptor rehabilitator, John must complete numerous hours of training and pass state and federal standards and inspections. While we aren’t ready for raptor rehab yet, we are well on our way to assisting our native raptors of Northeast Tennessee!

*Owl Ridge Raptor Center is state and federally licensed to house and care for native raptors. The cadaver bird is allocated to their permits.

Baby season is in full swing, and our SOARR Team has been putting the miles in! Over the last 2 days, we have responded ...
04/30/2026

Baby season is in full swing, and our SOARR Team has been putting the miles in! Over the last 2 days, we have responded to 3 displaced Eastern Screech Owlets. Unfortunately, all three were not able to be reunited in the nest and we have had the honor to transport them to our SOARR partner, Chris-Lisa Thomison at Owl Ridge Raptor Center.

We need your help! Due to rising demand for our raptor rescue and transport services throughout Northeast Tennessee, our costs have increased significantly which can lead to long-term impacts on our ability to provide these critical services. A donation today can help ensure that we render aid to any raptor that needs us, and your support means injured raptors, such as these adorable owlets, get the care they need! Make a donation today by clicking the link below. 🦉

https://www.talonridgeraptors.org/make-a-donation

We had a great first day at the Spring Garden Fair hosted by the Exchange Place Kingsport TN 1850s Farm! We met loads of...
04/25/2026

We had a great first day at the Spring Garden Fair hosted by the Exchange Place Kingsport TN 1850s Farm! We met loads of people, and we had a great time connecting with our community. Join us tomorrow from 12pm-5pm for the last day of the fair, and you might just snag a glimpse of our resident ambassador, Wicca! 🦉

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P. O. Box 3105
Kingsport, TN
37664

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