Over the years, we have named a lot of birds and animals at the Nature Center. Often, when an unreleasable animal arrives to take up residence with us, he or she is named after a friend of the center, like our red-tailed hawks Frank and Wanda, named for husband-and-wife wildlife rehabilitators who worked with the Nature Center for many years. Other times the name is just something that seems right, like Hoot the barred owl or Otus the Eastern screech owl.
This year, when we found ourselves with three new resident birds all within a few months of each other, we thought we’d give the public a chance to name them. So we had a contest on Facebook, asking for suggestions for our new barred and screech owls and broadwing hawk.
Once the suggestions were collected, DPNC staff chose the final name for each bird.
The winners had a chance to come to the Nature Center and meet ‘their’ birds.
Amanda Mead of Pawcatuck had the winning name for the barred owl, who is now called Ozzy.
Denise Davies of New London had the winning name for the broadwing, who is now called Zelda.
Christina Johnson of Griswold had the winning name for the Eastern screech, who is now called Milo.
About the birds:
The female broadwing hawk arrived at DPNC last fall with a severe shoulder injury. After surgery and a long recuperation it was determined that she could not be released because her ability to fly is permanently impaired. She has taken up residence in our new flight enclosure.
A barred owl that came to us with an eye injury is unreleasable because of its sight limitations. It has also taken up residence in our new flight enclosure, with our superstar barred owl Hoot.
The Eastern screech owl came to us this spring from a rescue that could no longer house it. It has moved in with our good friend Otus, also an Eastern screech owl.
