Carson Has Moved Into the Carlsen Aviary
By Jenna McElroy, Manager of the Eagle Creek Ornithology Center
ABAS donated $25,000 toward the construction of the Carlsen Aviary.
If you haven’t been to the Eagle Creek Park Ornithology Center recently, you should make a special trip to see the beautiful new aviaries that Kevin Carlsen built for the Center’s raptor ambassadors. A project that began in the spring of 2022, this year’s addition was a new corner enclosure by the deck that overlooks the Bird Sanctuary, designed specifically for their Bald Eagle, Carson.
Not to be confused with the eagle’s name, the “Carlsen Aviary” was named after Kevin Carlsen, the founder of the Ornithology Center, retired natuarlist and manager, and aviary designer. You can read more about Kevin in this interview published in October 2023 after the first phase of the aviary was complete.
This year’s renovation focused on Carson the Bald Eagle’s enclosure by the Ornithology Center deck. The enclosure used to have two separate, smaller rooms but has now been combined to give Carson one large room! Previously, Carson was too shy to come out into the public side of his enclosure, unless enticed with treats like fish or pieces of rat. Staff decided to remove the wall to give him more space and also to allow visitors to see Carson from the deck. He is still getting used to the wide-open view and all the people looking at him, so be kind to him when you visit. And maybe leave your furry friends at home- Carson has yet to become accustomed to dogs!
Carson was named in honor of Rachel Carson, the author of the book Silent Spring (1962) that propelled the environmentalist movement and saved the Bald Eagle and many other raptors from extinction. The name Carson is also of Scottish-Irish origin, meaning “son of marsh-dwellers.” The Ornithology Center
adopted Carson in November of 2020 from Mentor Marsh in Cleveland, OH.
Carson fell from his nest when he was only two months old but luckily was found, rescued, and taken to the Lake Metroparks Wildlife Center for rehabilitation. Unfortunately, the fall left him with a permanently disabled left wing and he will never be able to fly. The Ornithology Center had been looking for a young Bald Eagle to join their cohort of Raptor Ambassadors and because Carson was so young and also small for an eagle (he only weighed 7.5 pounds), they decided to adopt him! Young eagles tend to adapt to living in captivity more easily than adult eagles, but it still took Carson a long time to be comfortable around his new trainers and care givers. They made sure to give him the time he needed to adjust, moving at his pace and offering treats for every interaction. He has adapted very well to life at the Ornithology Center! He is now four-and-a-half years old and just molted this fall into his beautiful white head and tail.
This new enclosure was designed specifically for Carson’s personality and mobility challenges, offering plenty of trees for him to hide behind, ramps for him to get up to his high perches, and a large bath to accommodate his long wings. Staff is excited to train him to come closer to people for food rewards, but that will take time as well. Please don’t hesitate to ask the naturalists at the Center about Carson and his training! Follow @eaglecreekpark_indy on Instagram to see videos of his progress and learn about the other Raptor Ambassadors at the Ornithology Center.
Eagle Creek will probably never stop upgrading and renovating their aviaries. They are always growing, discovering more progressive training methods, and learning more to make the raptors’ lives in captivity as best as they can be. The staff is so grateful for the support of ABAS and visitors like you who care for
the birds and are able to donate to help make their lives better!
