Rescue

The Talon Trust rescues injured, sick, and orphaned birds of prey. It is part of our mission to rescue them from danger, tend to their injuries, illnesses, or developmental needs, and rehabilitate them until they are healthy enough to be on their own again. Our ultimate goal is always to release them back to the freedom of the wild where they belong. We are the only state and federally licensed rehabilitators for migratory birds in Southwestern Indiana.

We rehabilitate only birds of prey – hawks, falcons, owls, and vultures. We DO NOT rehabilitate songbirds or waterfowl.

QUICK GUIDE: What To Do If You Find an Injured / Sick Bird

Rescued raptor in commute to headquarters.

Rescued great horned owl receiving fluids.

What To Do If I Find an Injured / Sick Raptor?

STEP 1: WAIT & WATCH

Watch the bird. Assess the bird’s condition. Evaluate the situation. Please do not collect the bird until you have conferred with a rehabilitator, unless there is immediate danger (i.e. on a road) or it is obvious that it has an injury (wing drooping, lying on ground). Sometimes, it is not helpful for us to intervene. For example, it is common for young birds to be on the ground in the spring as a part of learning to fly and hunt. Often the parents are still around and caring for the young. Only if it is obvious there is an immediate danger or definite injury, should you retrieve the bird before discussing with a rehabilitator.

STEP 2: CALL US AT (812) 319-6875

Call 812-319-6875 to discuss the situation and determine the best course of action. If we don’t answer right away, please leave a detailed message. Tell us what kind of bird you saw, what you think is wrong with it, its exact location (address, intersection, town, etc.) and a name and contact information with whom we can coordinate the rescue. We are an all-volunteer organization, so please be patient. You can use the veterinarians or other resources listed below as well.

Email and Facebook are NOT monitored continuously, so be sure to CALL US!

STEP 3: HELP THE BIRD

If you need to move the bird, use a towel to cover and get it into a cardboard box or portable kennel. Place the box in a comfortable, dry and quiet environment. Avoid placing in cold or hot or noisy environment. DO NOT FEED. Birds have particular dietary requirements, and birds that have been starved for food can be harmed by feeding, as their digestive systems may have shut down and won’t digest it. Just keep the bird safe, and either wait for us to retrieve the bird, or take the bird to one of our partner veterinary clinics listed below.

Our Partners

We partner with two veterinarians in Evansville to provide more options for immediate care. They will treat immediate needs and keep the bird safe, and they will call us to retrieve the bird for long term care. They have regular business hours, so check their website or call them to find out their hours of operation.

Highland Veterinary Clinic
6805 Darmstadt Road
Evansville, IN 47710
812.867.6651
Visit Website

Ark Veterinary Clinic
1301 E. Missouri
Evansville , IN 47711
812.424.8968
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Other Resources

To get help for other types of wildlife or in other areas, check out the following resources:

Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Visit Website

Indiana DNR Conservation Law Enforcement

District 7 Offices: (812) 789-9538
24 Hour Dispatch: (812) 837-9536

Dangers

The most common dangers to raptors in our area are, by far, collisions with cars and buildings. They experience a lot of wing and head injuries from these collisions. In the spring, we see many orphans due to nest displacement (trees down, nest failure, chicks falling out, etc.). In late summer, we see a lot of birds that have had mishaps due to the pressures of competing for food and territories with the new population of young fledglings. Year round, we also see injuries due to electrocutions and collisions with power lines and transformers, lead poisoning, mouse poisoning, gun shot, and other causes.