By Ann Fazzini, Destination Mansfield – Richland County
Meet feathered friends and make a difference in their lives at this non-profit haven for birds.
The Ohio Bird Sanctuary (OBS) has been caring for ill and injured birds for more than 35 years. Now, their renovated and expanded visitor center and brand-new Avian Encounters Area help them fly even higher in their two-fold mission: to care for feathered friends and educate the public while they do it.
Avian Encounters includes a private village of large, comfortable enclosures for the Sanctuary’s highly trained birds that travel with keepers to schools, libraries and events to show off their skills. The birds, which can’t be released back into the wild for a variety of reasons, now get peaceful indoor-outdoor enclosures where they can rest between visits. “These animals are getting a new lease on life: to be ambassadors of their species,” says Executive Director Julie Schwartz.
The Sanctuary also renovated and expanded their visitor center and on-site avian hospital, which sees about 500 to 600 feathered patients every year. Sick and injured birds are treated by the care team until they are deemed able to hunt for food naturally. In one recent success story, a hawk that had been hit by two different cars was nursed back to health over the course of two months. Once the hawk regained the ability to fly and received a clean bill of health, it was released back into the wild.
Birds that have a permanent home at the Sanctuary give the public a glimpse at the important work they do and the chance to get up close and personal with elusive species like owls and bald eagles. “Young people might not care for what they don’t understand,” says Schwartz. “Our hope is to be a place where young people and families can learn and enjoy spending time in nature.”
5 things to do at OBS as recommended by OBS staff
- Feed birds by hand in the songbird aviary — cups of food only cost a quarter.
- Take a class in the accessible treehouse designed by the Treehouse Masters
- Climb a rope spider web and crawl through a caterpillar tunnel at the Naturescape natural playground.
- Hike on more than 3 miles of wooded trails.
- Enjoy a meal together surrounded by nature in the picnic area.
From our great friends at Destination Mansfield – Richland County. For the latest on area attractions and events, visit their website.
