Meet Pip
Pip was bred in captivity and joined the Mountsberg Raptor Centre in 2014 when he was approximately 5 weeks old. As he is imprinted on humans, Pip is very comfortable in his role as a member of our education team and is frequently seen in our public and school programs as well as Raptor Encounters and offsite presentations.
The American Kestrel
Favourite snacks: Grasshoppers, dragonflies, small birds, mice and voles
Interesting facts: American Kestrels are one of the only Ontario raptor species that can hover in midair; they do this to search for prey. American Kestrels can also see ultraviolet light; this helps them spot the urine trails of small rodents while hunting.
Adopt Pip today!
Meet Thomas
Thomas was hit by a train and suffered a break to his right wing. Despite surgical repair of the wing, he was unable to regain normal flight. Thomas joined the Mountsberg Raptor Centre in 2016 at one year of age. Thomas often takes part in both our student and public programs.
Broad-winged Hawk
Favourite Snacks: Frogs, toads, small rodents and insects
Interesting facts: Broad-winged Hawks nest in Ontario but spend the winter as far south as South America. During migration, they can form large flocks or “kettles” that can contain thousands of birds. When migrating, Broad-winged Hawks travel an average of 110 kilometers per day and a total of 7000 kilometers one way!
Adopt Thomas today!
Meet Kanuck
Kanuck was hatched in captivity and hand-raised by the Raptor Centre staff. He arrived at the centre in 2017 at 15 days of age and is very comfortable working with people.
The Peregrine Falcon
Favourite Snacks: Other birds, including shorebirds, ducks, pigeons and songbirds
Interesting facts: The Peregrine Falcon is known as the fastest creature in the world, reaching speeds of up to or above 320 km/h in a dive. Although they traditionally nest on cliff ledges, in Ontario Peregrine Falcons commonly nest on the ledges of tall buildings. The word “peregrine” means “wanderer” and Peregrine Falcons are one of the most widespread birds in the world, being found on every continent except Antarctica.
Adopt Kanuck today!
Meet Chip
Chip was bred in captivity and spent the first few years of his life hunting with a licensed falconer. Chip joined the team at Mountsberg in 2018 and now enjoys working in our Hawk Walk program and our flight demonstrations.
The Harris’s Hawk
Favourite snacks: rabbits, ground squirrels, quail and reptiles
Interesting facts: Unlike other raptors, Harris’s Hawks are highly social and live in groups that hunt and raise young cooperatively. They are very agile flyers but may also run along the ground to chase prey. Harris’s Hawks have a unique behaviour called “backstanding” where one bird will land and perch on the back of another hawk in the group.
Adopt Chip today!
Meet Shadow the Barn Owl
Shadow was born in captivity and came to live at Mountsberg in 2015 when he was just one month old! Having been raised by Mountsberg staff, Shadow is very comfortable being part of our education team and you can meet him during school programs, public presentations and Raptor Encounters.
The Barn Owl
Favourite snack: Small mammals, particularly mice, voles, and shrews, and occasionally small birds
Interesting facts: The Barn Owl’s ability to locate prey by sound alone is the best of any animal that has been tested! Their asymmetrical ears and heart-shaped facial disk lend to this tremendous ability. When Barn Owls eat, they swallow their prey whole, later casting up a ball, or “pellet”, of fur and bones. Female Barn Owls make their nests out of their own shredded pellets!
Adopt Shadow today!
Meet Buzz
Buzz was transferred to Mountsberg in 2014 from a rehabilitation centre in the Niagara region. He was originally found in the Midland area and is thought to have hatched in 2013. It is believed that Buzz was illegally kept by someone over the first winter of his life. He does not socialize well with other vultures but is very social towards humans.
The Turkey Vulture
Favourite snacks: Carrion (dead animals), mostly mammals but also birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish
Interesting facts: Turkey Vultures have a well-developed sense of smell which they use to locate their food. They also have a very strong digestive system and can eat animals that have rabies, botulism, anthrax, cholera or salmonella without getting sick. Vultures are vital in keeping our environment healthy.
Adopt Buzz today!
Meet Nebula
Nebula was bred in captivity at a zoo in Quebec and joined the Mountsberg Raptor Centre in 2019 when she was one year old. As a northern bird, Nebula is most comfortable and safe spending the warmer months living inside the Raptor Centre. This species is very susceptible to West Nile virus. Once the temperatures drop and the mosquitoes disappear, Nebula moves to her outside enclosure where she is a fan favourite with our guests.
The Great Grey Owl
Favourite snacks: Small mammals including voles, mice, chipmunks and lemmings
Interesting facts: Although it is the tallest owl species in Ontario, the Great Grey Owl is much lighter than both the Snowy and Great Horned Owls – it’s all feathers! Great Grey Owls have asymmetrical ear openings and a very large facial disk which allows them to hear the faintest sounds and grab voles under a layer of snow and ice without ever seeing them.
Adopt Nebula today!
Meet Ayasha
Ayasha is a human habituated bird who was confiscated from an illegal situation. She joined the Mountsberg Raptor Centre in 2012 as an adult, but her exact age is unknown. The fact that she was already in adult plumage when she arrived indicates that she was at least 5 years old at that time.
The Golden Eagle
Favourite snacks: Mammals including rabbits, prairie dogs, ground squirrels and deer, as well as birds such as cranes
Interesting facts: Golden Eagles are powerful birds capable of taking large prey and have been observed catching animals such as mountain goats, coyotes and bobcats. They are very fast and maneuverable for their size and have been recorded diving at 300 km/h – that’s almost as fast as a Peregrine Falcon! The Golden Eagle is the only North American eagle species to have legs feathered all the way down to the toes.
Adopt Ayasha today!
Meet Octavius
Octavius was illegally taken from the wild at a young age and raised by humans. She is human-imprinted, meaning that she does not have the skills to hunt and survive in the wild. She hatched in 2006 and arrived at Mountsberg in 2008.
The Great Horned Owl
Favourite snacks: A wide range of prey including mammals such as mice, squirrels, rabbits, and skunks, as well as birds, reptiles and amphibians
Interesting facts: Great Horned Owls have large eyes for excellent vision in low light. They are crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk. Their large eyes are fixed in their sockets and do not move; instead owls swivel their necks almost 270 degrees to look around and scan for prey.
Adopt Octavius today!
