By Jenny Callison
Enquirer Contributor
October 12, 1999

OXFORD TOWNSHIP – The newest resident of Hueston Woods Nature Center might fly like an eagle, but runs into trouble – or obstacles – when she wants to stop.

The young American bald eagle, rescued by the Raptor Education Group in Antigo, Wisconsin, came to live in Hueston Woods’ flight cage because lead poisoning has interfered with her depth perception.

“She probably ingested an animal that had been shot,” said Pat Boryca, the park’s naturalist supervison. “She has some cloudiness in one eye, and permanent neurological damage.”

Mr. Boryca said that the bird can never return to the wild. Her prognosis in captivity, however, is good.

Like the older golden eagle with whom she shares the cage, she can expect to live more than 25 years.

The newcomer came to Hueston Woods because Mr. Boryca contacted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for a replacement when the center’s original bald eagle died.

Volunteer Clint Poling introduced the owls, hawks, and vultures perched around the exterior of the flight cage. “That’s Larry, a female great horned owl,” he told park visitors. “She’s the queen of the nature center.”

Mr. Poling, a Miami University sophomore from Hamilton, is a zoology major in the Hueston Woods Naturalist Program. “Because of her size, they thought she was a male. Then she laid an egg,” Mr. Poling said.

Barney, a 7-year-old barn owl, is struggling with her avian identity. “She was born in captivity and became imprinted on humans.” Mr. Poling said. “She used to sit on my lap and watch The Cosby Show,” added Mr. Boryca.

Not all the Nature Center residents are birds. A cougar eyes visitors from his elevated perch. A silver fox and bobcat trot around their cages.

Animals at the Nature Center are on display all year long, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and noon to 4:30 p.m. Monday.