California Raptor Center

08/24/2026

Learn more about the American Kestrel. 🌤️

They are cavity nesters and seek tree hollows, nest boxes, and other cavities in the environment as their nests. 🌳

They stay nearly motionless in the air — a hunting technique called wind-hovering. 🌬️

They also have eyes that are 8 to 12 times sharper than human eyes! 👀

Image Description: Infographic titled ‘The American Kestrel’ featuring a close-up photo of an American Kestrel perched on a branch, set against a blurred grassland and tree-lined hillside background. Three text sections in white and yellow read: ‘Are cavity nesters and seek natural tree hollows, nest boxes, and other cavities in the environment as their nests.’ ‘Stay nearly motionless in the air — a hunting technique called wind-hovering.’ ‘Have eyes 8 to 12 times sharper than human eyes.’

08/19/2026

Meet Leland Wong, a dedicated volunteer at the CRC! 🦉

Favorite Education Ambassador: Forrest, because no matter how someone’s day is going, Forrest will hoot as you pass by, which in terms of raptors, can feel like getting a head rub or a tail wag from a pet!

Favorite Volunteer Task: Making contributions to the center that make a difference. Leland comes from a Fortune 100 engineering company background where innovation and contributions are greatly valued. Now at the CRC, he finds it gratifying to do things like install lighting in previously dark places or to find ways to raise revenue for the CRC, such as photographing the picture in slide 2!

Favorite Memory: Photographing a recovering Bald Eagle, which was a rare opportunity that produced an image used to fundraise for the CRC at the biannual Open House!

Shoutout from Staff & Volunteers: Leland is knowledgeable, logical, and very resourceful. He is always looking for ways to make use of the CRC’s limited resources at times, like fixing an old washing machine instead of buying a new one. He’s curious and thorough, attentively researching details and city requirements for projects he completes. He believes firmly in doing the job right the first time. And of course, Leland loves raptors. He is the owner of the biggest owl box in the neighborhood, which hosted a large family last season!

Image Descriptions:
1. Leland stands smiling indoors, wearing a purple protective glove on one hand. On his other arm, protected by a thick leather falconry glove, perches a Swainson’s hawk with jesses attached to its legs.
2. A bald eagle perched on a wooden post, photographed in profile with its head lowered and beak open, appearing with a white mouse in its mouth. Bold black text across the top reads “Raptors Don’t Eat Salad.” The UC Davis California Raptor Center, School of Veterinary Medicine logo appears in the bottom right corner.

08/08/2026

Thank you so much for visiting our Center!

07/24/2026

The CRC is honored and proud to have had Director Dr. Hawkins as our former Director!

The Association of Avian Veterinarians is proud to announce that Dr. Michelle Hawkins has been named as a recipient of the AAV Honorary Lifetime Membership Award, the organization's most prestigious honor. While this award is traditionally presented at AAV's Annual Conference, we couldn't wait to celebrate Dr. Hawkins and chose to present the honor early, in conjunction with her retirement celebration at UC Davis this past month.

Dr. Hawkins earned her veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1997 and completed her residency and fellowship in Avian and Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery at the University of California, Davis in 2001, becoming board-certified in Avian Practice the following year. After two years in private practice, she returned to UC Davis, where she served as Professor of Avian and Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery and Director of the California Raptor Center. Her research has advanced the field of anesthesia, analgesia, and critical patient care for both companion and wild birds.

Dr. Hawkins' contributions to avian medicine are extensive: she is first or senior author on over 50 publications in leading journals, along with 20 book chapters and 70 abstracts. She has served as Senior Editor for the Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery, and her service to AAV includes time as a Board Member and Officer, including President of the organization. In 2023, she was honored as the T.J. Lafeber Avian Practitioner of the Year.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Hawkins on this well-earned recognition of a career defined by clinical excellence, groundbreaking research, and generous mentorship across our field — and in wishing her all the best as she begins her retirement!

Read more about Dr. Hawkins and past recipients of this award at: https://www.aav.org/page/lifetime_members

07/24/2026

We are saddened to announce the passing of one of our beloved resident raptors, Paco the Peregrine Falcon x Gyrfalcon Hybrid.

Paco was a remarkable bird. He was hatched in 2002, the captive-bred offspring of a Peale’s Peregrine Falcon and a gray Gyrfalcon. He was bred and raised to be a falconry bird and belonged to former CRC director Dr. Bill Ferrier for 20 years. Paco hunted for many years alongside Bill, even landing in first place at the Sky Trials, a renowned falconry competition. In addition to hunting and competing, Paco demonstrated hunting behaviors for Avian Sciences classes at UC Davis.

As Paco aged and could no longer fly as well as he could in his youth, he was retired from hunting. In 2022, Dr. Ferrier gave Paco to the CRC to have a second career as an Educational Ambassador bird. CRC student staff member Venus Casagrande took Paco under her wing and became his new lead caregiver, making sure the elderly falcon received specialized care, attention, and enrichment during his “golden years” at the CRC.

Paco lived on exhibit along the main tour route and quickly became a visitor favorite. He delighted people with his antics, his frequent visits to the “hello” perch at the front of his enclosure, and his remarkable story. He was also a volunteer favorite for his delightful “chup”-ing calls, his engaging behaviors, and his daily afternoon snack feeding routine.

We were lucky to have four years with Paco at the CRC. He reached the dignified age of 24, at the extreme upper end of lifespan for a Peregrine Falcon and near the upper end of lifespan for a Gyrfalcon. His passing appears to have been cardiac in origin and age-related. While we wish we could have had more years with him, we are glad we had the time that we did.

“He was a special bird. We traveled all over the west together hunting ducks, pheasants, partridge, and grouse. It was a very special moment when he won the Sky Trials competing against some of the best flying falcons on the west coast.” - Dr. Bill Ferrier

Paco will be missed.

Image Description: A Peregrine Falcon and Gyrfalcon Hybrid perches on a thick brown leather falconry glove. It looks upward and to the right.

07/10/2026

Meet Pat Mikkelsen, a long-time volunteer at the CRC! 🦉

Favorite Education Ambassador: Ember, the first bird Pat ever held at the CRC, and she behaved beautifully. That connection made Ember extra special. Pat’s had a soft spot for Barn Owls ever since one flew into her barn five years ago. She put up a nest box, and babies have arrived every year since!

Favorite Volunteer Task: Tending the museum, tidying up, keeping handouts stocked, and brainstorming new displays. Pat recently rearranged the space and filled a newly donated display case.

Favorite Memory: Six Barn Owl eggs were found in a tractor just after it started up, sending the mom flying away. Pat watched over those six babies from hatching to release, which was an amazing experience for her.

Shoutout from Staff & Volunteers: Pat is exceptionally hardworking and takes initiative on anything the CRC needs. She adapts easily to change;  is extremely generous with her time, energy, and resources; and is a fantastic role model for fellow volunteers. 

Image Description: A woman gently holds a young white chick in gray leather work gloves. She stands in a rustic wooden barn with warm, sunlit beams in the background.

07/07/2026

As Dr. Michelle Hawkins moves into retirement, we are excited to welcome Dr. Hugues Beaufrère and Michael Ziccardi as the California Raptor Center’s newest co-directors! 🦅

Dr. Hugues Beaufrère is an Associate Professor in Zoological Medicine at the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine. A board-certified specialist in avian medicine (ABVP, ECZM) and zoological medicine (ACZM), his clinical and research interests center on the health of raptors, parrots, and other birds, with a particular focus on lipid disorders, cardiovascular disease, and improving medical care for wild and managed avian species. He also works with a wide variety of exotic animal species within the VMTH Companion Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery Service. Originally from France, Dr. Beaufrère graduated from the University of Lyon in 2006 and completed a combined PhD and residency in avian and zoological medicine at Louisiana State University and the Audubon Nature Institute. He spent eight years at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Canada before joining UC Davis in 2021. His research has been published widely in the veterinary literature, and he is actively involved in clinical studies aimed at advancing medicine for exotic and wildlife species.

Dr. Michael Ziccardi is the Director of the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center (WHC), Director for the California Veterinary Emergency Team (CVET), Head of Global Programs for the Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN), and Health Science Clinical Professor in the Department of Medicine & Epidemiology. Formerly, he was the Executive Director of the OHI. He received his DVM, and masters and doctorate in epidemiology from UC Davis. Since 1996, Michael has acted as an oil spill response veterinarian and oiled wildlife response director during more than 50 spills nationally and internationally – most notably as the Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Group Supervisor for NOAA during the Deepwater Horizon spill in 2010. He has worked as a Contract Veterinarian for the California Department of Fish and Game/Wildlife, a Research Epidemiologist for the Lincoln Park Zoo, as both a Program Coordinator and Senior Wildlife Veterinarian for the WHC, and as faculty for the SVM.

07/04/2026

How do hawks keep flying when they're missing feathers?

By studying Jack, an education ambassador Red-tailed Hawk at the California Raptor Center, researchers at UC Davis discovered that hawks subtly adjust their wing and tail movements during molt to maintain stable flight.

This study is the first research to emerge from the Center for Animal Locomotion and Innovation, a collaboration between the California Raptor Center at the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine and the UC Davis College of Engineering demonstrating how veterinary medicine and engineering can work together to advance wildlife conservation, rehabilitation, and bio-inspired innovation.

UC Davis researchers found that red-tailed hawks adjust their wing and tail movements during molt to maintain flight performance despite missing feathers. The findings could improve wildlife rehabilitation practices and inspire more resilient drones and uncrewed aerial vehicles.

07/01/2026

As Dr. Michelle Hawkins begins her retirement, we celebrate a career that has become part of the California Raptor Center's story.

Michelle's journey with the Center came full circle, starting out as a veterinary medical resident to becoming the medical director in 2005 and ultimately director in 2012. Along the way, she helped advance the Center's impact through clinical care, research, education, training, and partnerships, while continuing its longstanding mission of raptor conservation and community education.

Her greatest legacy is not only the Center she helped shape, but also the students, residents, staff, volunteers, and wildlife professionals she inspired along the way.

Thank you, Michelle, for your vision, mentorship, and unwavering dedication to the California Raptor Center and the raptors we care for. Congratulations on an extraordinary career, and we wish you all the best in this next chapter.

Reflecting on 20+ years of leadership at the California Raptor Center: whc.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/news/reflecting-20-years-leadership-california-raptor-center

06/26/2026

🦅 This whole time you haven’t actually been hearing a Bald Eagle… 👀

Did you know that when you hear the iconic “Bald Eagle screech” in movies, you are actually hearing the raspy screech of a Red-Tailed Hawk? 😮

Bald Eagles’ calls involve a series of high-pitched whistles, chirps, and chattering, which some ornithologists compare to a seagull’s call. Bald Eagle’s calls can be perceived as “weak”-sounding, which audiences might not associate with Bald Eagles naturally—leading to Hollywood’s choice of using the Red-Tailed Hawk screech!

Red-Tailed Hawks’ calls are powerful, drawn out, and hoarse. They use their call to assert ownership of airspace, warning other predators of their presence. They also make these calls when perceiving a threat, like a human near their nest. Juvenile Red-Tailed Hawks will make shorter shrieks to beg their parents for food.

When was the last time you heard a Red-Tailed Hawk’s screech in a movie? 🎥

Image Descriptions:
1. Red-Tailed Hawk perches upright on a small artificial turf platform mounted on a wooden post.
2. Two Red-Tailed Hawks stand side by side on an artificial turf perch.