Bird rehab facility gives students higher edge
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JACKSON, Tenn. — Students at Union University breathe a sigh of relief when a bird that has been in their rehabilitation center takes flight back into nature. “I love working directly with the animals, and this allows me to do that and get a lot of experience,” conservation biology major Emily Easter said. Easter said it takes some work to get these birds of prey well enough to survive on their own, but some may never be able to fly free again, such as a red face screech owl that sits in the facility now. “He had a collision with a Ford F-150, and the picture they sent was of his head stuck in the grill and his wings out,” biology director and professor Dr. James Huggins said. “I thought this bird would never survive.” The wildlife facility is large enough to take care of a bald eagle. Huggins has been a professor at Union for nearly 30 years. After starting this process at home, he eventually was provided with a facility on campus. “If it’s alive, if it’s biology, I love it,” Huggins said. “And so birds, mammals, vertebrates, mammals have always been my thing.” A small group of science majors are a part of making sure this somewhat secretive facility functions. “Conservation work isn’t always glamorous, like butchering cow hearts and stuff like that to feed them, but it’s for a good cause,” conservation biology major Lydia Atchley said. For some, it is a dream come true. “I learn a whole lot in a short period of time,” zoology major Molly Foster said. “It’s really useful and pretty much exactly what I want to do with my life.” This type of hands-on learning is what the students hope will land them a career of their dreams. “It’s great for people to know that you have experience working around, especially raptors, and you’re comfortable around them and everything,” Easter said. Some birds become part of the family, such as Jack, an American kestrel. Jack is one of four education birds that travel all around West Tennessee to educate people about the program. Jack is one of the birds that could not be fully rehabbed, but he is not ruffling his feathers about being a part of all the hands-on learning. “Already knowing that Jack was a sparrow hawk before I learned he was a sparrow hawk, that came in handy,” Atchley said. Huggins said he has high hopes for his students who participate in this program. “Anytime you’re associated with the biology of these guys, you’re learning a great deal about what you’re going to need to survive out there in that competitive world,” Huggins said. As for post-graduation plans, the women who keep this facility going have a variety of careers they could pursue. “I would either like to work out in the field or a lab studying some sort of animal behavior,” Easter said. “I’d also like to work in conservation education.” But whatever it is, they will be prepared for their next step into the wild. The wildlife rehab center has been on Union’s campus for about 10 years. Huggins said they receive a lot of help from local veterinarians to make sure these birds are in good health before they are released.
