Ian Wright, the Lower Site Volunteer

This is a blog to commemorate the fact that one of WBS’s best volunteers, Ian Wright, has reached a major milestone in his career: he has just turned sixteen and can handle the raptors!

Ian Wright holding Willard, the Red-Tailed Hawk

I believe that the World Bird Sanctuary has the best volunteers on the planet.  If someone wants to challenge me about this, I only have to point to Ian as an example. Ian Wright, who attends Parkway West High School and likes science, has a deep fascination with birds.  In order to observe them more closely, Ian has spent at least one day a week volunteering at the Education Training Center, also known as the “ETC” or “lower site” for the past three years.

 

Ian was thirteen years old when his parents began driving him to the Sanctuary every Sunday morning.  While most other teenagers slept or immersed themselves in the eleventh hour of some video game, Ian was literally getting his hands dirty on pretty much every imaginable aspect of animal care.  As Ian says, “If you have a weak stomach, this job may not be the best choice.”  Ian’s back and stomach indeed proved strong, but for three long years, Ian could not actually handle any of the raptors. Bird Sanctuary rules require that everyone who handles birds be at least sixteen years old.

On Easter Sunday this year, Ian finally became old enough to handle raptors.  Ian’s cheerful personality and good humor has given me the momentum I need to finish Sunday, which happens to be the last day of my workweek, off strong.  So, I really looked forward to helping him learn to handle the raptors.

We started off with Timber, the Eastern Screech Owl.  Like the other birds, Timber recognized Ian and was not alarmed by him.  But, he did not expect to see Ian with the glove, so Timber’s eyes widened and he, “got tall” when he noticed the glove.  But Ian’s calm, gentle manner soon put Timber at ease and the owl stepped right up to Ian’s hand.

I felt so thrilled to finally see Ian holding a bird.  Ian seems to show a natural ability with the birds and his handling skills have developed quickly.  Ian now handles several of the birds that live at the lower site.

Submitted by Leah Sainz, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist