The Raptor Trust is a wild bird rehabilitation center located in Millington, New Jersey

Millington, New Jersey

Millington is an unincorporated area within Long Hill Township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 07946. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population for ZIP Code Tabulation Area 07946 was 3,000...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 and surrounded by the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge

Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge

The Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is located in Morris County, New Jersey. Established in 1960, it is one of more than 550 refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System.The refuge was declared a National Natural Landmark in May 1966...

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History

Len Soucy became interested in hawk

Hawk

The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...

s after a visit to the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is a wild bird sanctuary in Albany Township and East Brunswick Township, located along the Appalachian flyway in eastern Pennsylvania. The sanctuary is a prime location for the viewing of kettling and migrating raptors with an average of 20,000 hawks, eagles and falcons...

 in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

in 1964. In 1968, he acquired 14 acres (56,656 m²) in Millington, and with the help of his family started to take care of injured raptors in their backyard. Over time their efforts became known, a bird hospital was added, and by the end of the seventies, hundreds of different birds were annually brought in to be taken care of, supported by the privat efforts of the Soucy family. In 1982, The Raptor Trust was founded as a non-profit organization to provide the organizational and financial infrastructure for the mission, namely to provide free care for orphaned and injured birds, to educate people about birds, especially birds of prey, and to set an example of humane conduct.

Today

Currently the organization maintains an infirmary, educational facilities, a gift shop, and a large complex of some 70 cages and aviaries for recuperating birds that will be released and for providing refuge to unreleasable birds. About 100 hawks, eagles, and owls are permanent residents of the trust. A number of unreleasable birds have bred successfully. Unreleasable birds also can serve as foster parents to younger birds. Visitors can view the many unreleasable birds of prey of the facility at close range.

External links

• Official Web Site of The Raptor Trust