HINTON, WV (WOAY) – This week we are flocking to a local aviary to meet some of their amazing birds.
Three Rivers Avian Center is a nonprofit organization that works to conserve the wild bird populations of West Virginia by caring for injured and sick birds that are released back into the wild once they recover.
“The avian center works very hard to try and get patients back out into the wild again,” said Three Rivers Avian Center Executive Director Wendy Perrone. “We work with several hundred a year and we have roughly about a fifty percent release rate, give or take a little bit. When people come they are not going to see the patients, that’s illegal it’s against federal law, and it’s not really good for the birds. Because they get stressed out and then the healing process stops so that’s not what this place is about.”
The avian center offers guided tours for the public to see some of the raptors which were nursed back to health, but cannot be released back to the wild. The tours are offered from 1 PM to 5 PM on the first Saturday of each month from May to October.
“We have a lot of wild birds that are naturally here anyway, but what we have for the public to see specifically are raptors, birds of prey,” Perrone said. “We have two Screech Owls, we have two Barred owls. We have a Peregrine Flacon, we have two Red-Tailed Hawks, Broad Winged Hawk, and a Bald Eagle.”
In addition to the tours, they also visit the state parks during the summer to hold educational performances with birds.
The first tour of the 2021 season will be Saturday, July 3rd. For information about the avian center, their tours, and summer performances, or to donate visit their website.
You can also get up-to-date information by following them on Facebook.
