 Come to a Hatch-Day Party!
Edgar
was found by a teacher at Fairfield Elementary School in West Eugene in
September 1988 - trying to get into the classrooms. Sondra Juve
opened the window in her room and let her in (of course!) ... and Edgar
proceeded to entertain herself and a room full of first graders by
stealing crayons and investigating everything she could. Her
feathers were in terrible shape and her beak was deformed, apparently
due to malnutrition. Sondra brought her to Louise, then part of
Willamette Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation.
Though clearly fond of people, it’s difficult to tell if a bird is a
human imprint until they are adult, it’s breeding season, and they are
offered a choice. Edgar was introduced to a group of other young
crows and they were released together in Crow (of course) ... but Edgar
immediately flew 10 miles to Veneta Elementary School. Not only is she
a human imprint but she’s particularly fond of children!
A newspaper article about her brought a phone call from the people who
had raised her illegally - a family with four children. Edgar’s
feathers molted in beautifully after months of good nutrition, but the
damage to her beak was at the growth plate - and the beak has stayed
weak, brittle, curved to the side, and does not meet on the end.
Edgar is also a cancer survivor - at four years old. One of the
few birds who likes being touched, Edgar was being scratched by Louise
one day, when a lump was discovered on her neck. A trip to the
vet, surgery, and cytology at the lab revealed that what the vet had
removed was a malignant lymphosarcoma tumor. Finding it early and
successfully removing it all has led to 17 years of follow-up good
health.
A bit stiff now, but otherwise bright and alert - and as much of a
character as ever, Edgar is delighted to invite you to celebrate her
coming of age... Come wish her a Happy Hatch Day on Saturday the 20th
of June, from 4:00-6:00. |
