Northern hawk owl introduced as the Minnesota Raptor Center’s newest ambassador

Visitors to the Minnesota Raptor Center will have a new friendly face greeting them: a northern hawk owl.

The latest ambassador of the Raptor Center is a female, born in captivity and given to the center in August when she was just six weeks old. Because she was born in captivity, the Raptor Center said she would not be able to survive on her own in the wild.

The species, according to the Raptor Center, gets its name from its hawk-like appearance and behavior, with flatter heads, a long, pointed tail and daylight hunting.

It’s not every day the Raptor Center sees a northern hawk owl; in fact, it’s fairly rare for anyone in Minnesota to see them at all.

According to the organization, the bird isn’t commonly found in Minnesota, typically inhabiting boreal forests in near-polar regions, and isn’t often cared for by humans. According to the Raptor Center, this will be the first-ever northern hawk owl it has taken care of.

Now that she is officially part of the Minnesota Raptor Center Family, she needs a name. Those who have an idea of what to call her can help pick a name here or on the center’s Instagram page.
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