Content - Majestic Encounters: Eagle Aviary Tour & Birds of Prey Presentation

Majestic Encounters: Eagle Aviary Tour & Birds of Prey Presentation

As North Idaho transitioned from late summer to early fall the fellows made another trip to Worley, Idaho to visit the Coeur d’ Alene Casino for their Majestic Encounters - Eagle Aviary Tour. The Fellows boarded Coeur d’ Alene Casino buses to visit the aviary of the Schitsu'umsh people (Coeur d’Alene Tribe). The aviary is called Tsetkhws Khwa Pacha'lqn in the indigenous language of Snchitsu’umshtsn, which in English means The House of the Bald Eagle.

The fellows traveled from the Casino by bus with tour guides Bobbie White and Yvette Matt sharing information with the group about the history of the Schitsu'umsh people and their community through the rolling hills of the Palouse until they arrived at the Eagle Aviary. This aviary is the first federally permitted aviary in the Pacific Northwest and serves an important conservation role in the area by allowing injured birds that cannot be released back into the wild the opportunity to live out their days in a safe environment while enabling tribal members to collect and save the birds feathers for religious and ceremonial purposes.

Cameron Huesser, Wildlife Division Lead for the Coeur d’ Alene Tribe’s Natural Resources Department shared the video The Eagle Keepers - The Coeur d'Alene Tribal Aviary Story which details the story behind the founding of the aviary and the history between the Schitsu'umsh people and the Eagle and the important role Eagle feathers have in spiritual and cultural traditions. The aviary allows tribal members access to harvested molten feathers that are kept in a repository for tribal members to access. There were three eagles and one golden hawk being housed at the aviary.

After the fellows left the aviary they returned to the casino for lunch and a presentation by Janie and Don Veltkamp of Birds of Prey Northwest, a nonprofit dedicated to rehabilitating and releasing injured birds of prey. In the instances where these birds are unable to return to the wild they remain in the care of Birds of Prey Northwest as educational birds or are moved to the tribal aviary.

The bald and golden eagles depend on a healthy watershed system to support life as their main food sources are the fish, waterfowl, and small mammals found in and nearby rivers, lakes, and streams, they play an important role in creating and maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Watershed restoration plays a vital role in wildlife management and conservation.