Flying High: J. Johnson ’28 at The Glen Helen Raptor Center in Yellow Springs, Ohio
Jun 25, 2025At the Glen Helen Raptor Center I have witnessed a culture of patience, determination, and reliability when caring for the avian rehabilitation patients and educational ambassadors. This environment allows for the main objective of releasing viable birds back into the wild effectively. The mission of the Raptor Center, in their own words, is to, “release healthy individuals back to the wild,” and keep the ones that cannot be released to educate the public and strike curiosity into the next generation of birders. The Raptor Center’s educational programs include fun activities like “bird talk” where they collaborate with the neighboring Outdoor Education Center. There is also the “Raptor Drawing Series” which enables the public to examine raptor anatomy while being artistic, “Raptor Photography Event” invites people to have a close-up encounter with one of the educational ambassadors, and the “Summer Birding Series” follows Raptor Center staff around the Little Miami, as well as the Yellow Springs Creek, to search for breeding birds.The objective of the Raptor Center can be further actualized through public donations which includes sponsoring a raptor.
My role at the Raptor Center is assist the staff and long-term interns with the husbandry and maintenance of the facility. Some of my duties include feeding the educational ambassadors their daily meal, cleaning up after their messes, handling certain raptors when necessary due to special training and/or public interaction, and preparing their nutritional diet. The care of the facility itself is also important tasks such as sweeping, washing dishes, disinfecting surfaces, are all things that keep the standard high for the Raptor Center. As a temporary intern there is an importance placed on fulfilling the greater objective in which we all play role in, regardless of the temporality of my position my work leaves a lasting mark that the next person will occupy so my role is to make their experience pleasant as well. As an intern, there is always the risk of negatively influencing a raptor into performing a certain behavior in enough time. The importance of carrying through the values of proper care for the animals also must be reaffirmed through each intern’s actions.
Actualization of educating the public about raptors is instilled into visitors by displaying the birds and providing the public with answers to their question regarding raptors and their needs. One aspect in which the public can assist in the sustaining of raptors is by listening in during education hours where Raptor Center staff and interns discuss openly about threats to certain species. Some of these dangers include rodenticide, speeding vehicles, led poisoning, gun violence, and much more. Some of the more subtle aspects of integrating wildlife sustainability into my everyday is the act of sharing knowledge with friends, family, and colleagues. The experience I gain at the Raptor Center does implicate the end of my love for the natural world and the creatures that live upon it, but instead fuels my path ahead.
My educational goal is to create a fertile foundation for my future as wildlife biologist to blossom. Along the way I will also expand my opportunities to include videography, philosophy, and artistry which will help further convey my interest in nature. This experience provided me with the familiarity with creature in the wild, their behaviours, their habitats, and personalities. Having a close-up relationship with each raptor has helped me refine ornithology studies. I would recommend the Raptor Center to any nature-loving individual who wishes to rehabilitate and nurture magnificent animals.