Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma
Eagle Rehabilitation Program

Project Summary

Through funds provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS) and the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma the Iowa Tribe has had the opportunity to develop an eagle rehabilitation program in order to protect injured eagles and increase community awareness of wildlife care and native culture.  Currently this has only been done by various independent wildlife rehabilitation organizations nationwide.  Oklahoma has had no center or caging facility that meets the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Minimum Standards for Eagle Wildlife Rehabilitation.  There is no government agency, bureau, or department goaled with rehabbing and releasing or continued care for injured eagles.  As a result, the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma secured the necessary funds to provide for this need and has designated their Environmental Services Department the goal of working towards integrating wildlife management activities along with an eagle rehabilitation program to protect eagles and provide long-term housing for debilitated eagles. 

The eagle rehabilitation facility named the Bah   Kho-je   Xla   Chi (Grey Snow Eagle House) was completed in Jan. 2006 and has been built to protect Bald Eagles and Golden Eagles.  The facility is located in Perkins, Oklahoma and includes a flight cage, quarantine cage, bathing pool, drinking water, perches, and a storage room for medical supplies. The eagles are cared for daily by the Aviary Manager, an Iowa Tribal Elder, who became certified by the FWS as an Eagle Rehabilitator.  The tribe also receives technical assistance from the OSU Veterinarian School, Dr. Paul Welch, Raptor Veterinarian, and Gary and Kathy Siftar, fellow U.S. FWS Rehabbers.

Currently

As of August 2006 the Grey Snow Eagle House offers a home to three non-releasable Bald Eagles and one non-releasable Golden Eagle.  Those debilitated eagles that cannot be released to the wild due to the nature or severity of their injuries are fully protected by the Iowa Tribe through the FWS Religious-Use Permit.  This permit has allowed the tribe the opportunity to gather the eagle feathers as they naturally molt to be distributed to tribal members for their use in cultural activities.