Cooped Up? Get Uncooped.

Columbia is a resident of the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, MN. She was found near Dunbar, WI in 2002 with a fractured shoulder; she was also suffering from lead poisoning. After surgery and unsuccessful physical therapy at the University of Minnesota's Raptor Center, she was transferred to the National Eagle Center. She was named and dedicated six months after the tragic end to the Space Shuttle Columbia and her crew.

If you happen to find yourself in south-eastern Minnesota's beautiful bluff country, I urge you to check out the National Eagle Center. The main attractions are the eagles themselves, but also imperative to experience are the very informative educational programs, which are free with your paid admittance. If you're lucky, the eagles will be hungry during the program, so you can see them eat. Some things you might learn while you're there:

• Female eagles, like Columbia, are larger than male eagles.
• Eagles can only pick up about 1/3 of their weight.
• They have superior digestive tracts, which can break down bones. 
• Although they are oportunistic eaters, eagles are not scavengers, like vultures.
• Eagles prefer to expend as little energy as possible when flying; they'd rather float in thermals rather than flap their wings.
• Eagles' bones are hollow.
• An adult bald eagle has 7,192 feathers. Twelve of them are their tail feathers.
• All the feathers that the eagles at the center lose are sent to a repository in Denver, CO.

For more information about bald eagles and the National Eagle Center, visit their website.

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