Short-eared Owl

A cat raided a rabbit’s nest.  Hopefully this 9 day old cottontail, with eyes still closed, will grow strong & then when old enough be returned to the wild.  

While enjoying the warmth of the heat lamp, this turkey vulture will spend the winter recovering at Dayton Valley Wildlife Reststop.

American Kestrels are fledging now and sometimes they need some extra help like this young one.  They eat spiders, moths, cicadas and grasshoppers to name just a small portion of their diet, which is a good reason not to spray pesticides. Mike and the kestrel exchange information at intake.

A bit of history on the raptor — Peregrine Falcons were nearly wiped out from pesticide poisoning in eastern North America during the middle of the 20th century, the Peregrine made a come back through the captive breeding efforts of professional falconers.

Many baby Desert Cottontails are brought to DVWR in the spring for various reasons. Their round tails are dark on top and white underneath resembling a cotton ball and their large ears radiate body heat, cooling them during the hot summer months.

Great Horned Owl