Today I am reminded why I am "going green". My husband, Greg, is a Falconer. He got a beautiful Red Tail Hawk today that we named Whitney. I know many people would think it is not very Green to take her out of the wild but I believe differently and I think most people would agree if they understood why.
Here are my reasons-
1. One in three hawks die their first winter, taking her out of the wild gives another hawk a chance to live.
2. Greg uses her as an educational tool to teach others why we need to leave land for the animals. If there is no land, they cannot hunt and since birds of prey are territorial only so many can coexist in one area.
3. Greg, and other falconers, do not let them lose their instincts. They still hunt and can be released back into the wild at anytime.
4. I have a better understanding of these beautiful birds and am only going to do Green things that will not harm them. That's right, Green people are killing them and don't even know it.
Here is an article on how windmills are killing birds of prey, and other birds too. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203706604574376543308399048.html# Robert Bryce says, "A July 2008 study of the wind farm at Altamont Pass, Calif., estimated that its turbines kill an average of 80 golden eagles per year."
If we did not get Whitney (and Mia, Greg's first bird that is back in the wild) I would have never realized the impact windmills had on birds of prey.
Please look closely at the changes you are making in your lives (Green or not) to see if it is in fact better for the future.
Whitney and Maia
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