Cause of Admittance in Raptors Treated at the Illinois Raptor Center, 1995-2006.

Raptors are threatened by both anthropogenic and natural factors. We examined the cause of admittance and their temporal occurrence in raptors admitted to the Illinois Raptor Center in Decatur, Illinois, United States from 1995-2006. Six species were analyzed: Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperii), red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), American kestrel (Falco sparverius), eastern screech-owl (Otus asio), great horned owl (Bubo virginianus), and barred owl (Strix varia). Each raptor species was prone to a different suite of admission causes. Sixty-five percent of raptors involved in window collisions were Cooper's hawks, and 61% of raptors involved in vehicle collisions were great horned owls and barred owls. By recognizing patterns of raptor admissions, we can develop solutions to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with these admissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]