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Contact: Peter Dubacher, Director
The Berkshire Bird Paradise
43 Red Pond Road
Petersburgh, New York 12138
Web site: http://www.birdparadise.org
Phone: (518) 279-3801

PRESS RELEASE

Three baby Bald Eagles hatched by a pair of disabled parents at the Berkshire Bird Paradise in Grafton, NY.

May 14, 2007: The Berkshire Bird Paradise had a great Mother's Day, as three new Bald Eagle chicks hatched over a period of 6 days from two disabled parents.

Peter Dubacher, the director and owner of the sanctuary, said "Everyone told me it's impossible to breed eagles in captivity. It's rare for two disabled bald eagles parents to have healthy offspring. The Mother's name is Veronica, She was injured and coated with oil during the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989. The US Postal Service paid for and flew her and 6 other injured American Bald Eagles to the sanctuary. The father is called The General, he was hit by an airplane in Moab, Utah."

Dubacher said "On Thursday I went to check on the babies and two were hatched and one egg was just starting to crack. On Friday morning I went to check the nest again, and my heart sunk as the nest was empty. I frantically started to search the compound and then I heard some little peeps from under the nesting platform. I found all three chicks in the hay and returned them to their nest. What a relief that was! I thank goodness it was a warm day. All three seem to be doing well"

Dubacher is licensed through the state Department of Environmental and the US Fish and Wildlife Service to breed captive eagles. He has been raising birds for 30 years.

Dr. Ward Stone, who for 36 years has served as Wildlife Pathologist for the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation, was the first scientist to identify West Nile Virus. He refers to the Berkshire Bird Paradise’s Peter Dubacher as “The Mother Teresa of birds,” and he does not recall anyone ever successfully breeding Bald Eagles in NY State before Dubacher.

"For over 30 years he has taken in wounded and unwanted birds of all kinds. They stay with him for life. Most zoos only want perfect specimens, Dubacher explained. Many of the birds Peter rescues have some disabilities, some are missing all or a portion of a wing, and some are blind, while others are missing a leg. These birds would never survive in the wild."

The sanctuary cares for over 2,000 birds and is home to 100 species; emus, Sandhill cranes, parrots, falcons, owls and macaws all live there. Some pet owners tire of these exotic birds, or just can't keep them any longer. Other species include swans crows, pigeons – including the white pigeons released at weddings and funerals and then forgotten. A New York City policewoman once dropped off a small flock of chicks she had found in a garbage can, a discarded Easter gift.

The American Bald Eagle was placed on the endangered species list in the 1970s. Successful conservation methods such as the banning DDT and eagle hunting led to a classification change of “threatened.”

The Berkshire Bird Paradise is open to the public for visits from May 24 until autumn. An admission fee is requested of visitors. Directions and information about the sanctuary are available by telephone, at 1-518-279-3801, or at the sanctuary's web site: www.birdparadise.org

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