My Nonprofit Reviews

Like many people, I discovered SOAR by accident in July 2014 when they took in one of the Decorah eaglets. The Decorah eagles have been an internet phenomenon for the past several years, allowing hundreds of thousands of people around the world to watch an active eagle nest while the young birds hatch, grow, and fledge. This summer, one of the young eagles left the nest too early and was discovered in a nearby stream with a broken wing. The on-site volunteers (Raptor Resource Project) rescued the bird and handed him off to SOAR, thereby introducing 100,000+ followers to this amazing bird rescue facility.
In our ignorance, we thought our injured eaglet would be the center of attention at SOAR until the magnitude of their work became clear. SOAR routinely has 1-2 dozen raptors (mostly osprey, eagles, and hawks) that they are nursing back to health. These birds get expert care and medical attention with the goal of releasing them back into the wild. That alone is a heroic effort.
But in addition to rehabilitation, SOAR has an active education program teaching people about these remarkable birds. They also are engaged in a campaign to remove lead from ammunition since many birds become ill from lead poisoning. One of their special projects is a partnership with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and other raptor rescue groups to reintroduce osprey nesting in the region.
They do this amazing work out of a nondescript building in rural Iowa where they have a surgery, intensive care rooms, and flight pens where birds can strengthen their wings before release. They work closely with federal and state agencies and other non-profits. The seamless way in which 'our' injured eaglet was passed off to SOAR is a testament to the collaborative ways these raptor protection agencies work together.
Like many other fans of the Decorah eagles, I was amazed to learn of the expert medical and rehabilitation care that hundreds of raptors receive at SOAR. This phenomenal agency flies under the radar, filing a critical niche in raptor rescue that many bird fans have never considered. They are heroes.

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