Injured peregrine falcon needs surgery

Herbert at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

We have an update on Herbert, the peregrine falcon that was found with a dislocated elbow this spring. 

Herbert’s elbow was back in place for a time, but it has now dislocated again. This time, the elbow will not stay in place without surgery. 

Scott Diehl from the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center at the Wisconsin Humane Society states in an email: “We are hoping to perform a surgery that would provide some stability to the joint.” 

Whether Herbert is able to be released back into the wild is in question, but he would have zero chance for release without this surgery.

Diehl said, “If he is ultimately nonreleasable but able to be retained as an educational bird, the surgery will be better for him comfort-wise and health-wise long term.”

We Energies Foundation has approved a funding request from The Humane Society’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Center to aid in Herbert’s necessary surgery.

Herbert was born at our Valley Power Plant 11 years ago. Herbert was nesting at St. Joseph’s Hospital this year. Since his injury had taken him out of parenting duties, two of his chicks were moved to our Oak Creek Power Plant. They were adopted by the peregrine falcons that occupy that nest. The chicks were named Foster and Wheeler, and banded earlier this month.