Meet Our Ambassadors
Watson
American Kestrel
In the summer of 2019, Watson was found by a member of the public after falling from his nest. Instead of being brought to a wildlife rehabilitator promptly, he was raised by the public during a critical period of development during which he imprinted on people. This means that Watson views humans as "his kind" and cannot be released into the wild. Imprinting is a permanent condition. While we wish he could have been released, Watson charms all who meet him with his curious, bold personality and stunning blue-gray plumage.
Kestrels display sexual dimorphism or distinct differences in size or appearance between the sexes. Males have blue-gray heads and wings and have rusty red feathers on their backs and tails, while females have reddish-brown wings and are larger. Sponsor Watson
Ruby
Red-Tailed Hawk
Ruby hatched in the spring of 2019 and suffered an injury shortly after she left the nest, which resulted in the loss of her right eye. While she can no longer hunt well enough to survive on her own, she can still fly and is doing fantastic learning to be an ambassador. When she's not in training, Ruby enjoys taking baths and interacting with various enrichment items.
Red-tailed Hawks are the largest and most common hawks in Pennsylvania, and they get their name from their red tail feathers once mature. Ruby's name was suggested by a member of the public because rubies are associated with the power of life, which she will be bringing to our ambassador program, and once she is an adult, she will have a beautiful dark red tail. Sponsor Ruby
Sophia
Barred Owl
After being hit by a car, Sophia was brought to Tamarack to be treated for a broken wing. She healed well enough to have limited flight but and cannot fly well enough to survive in the wild. Barred Owls are one of only two Pennsylvania owl species that have dark eyes (other owls have a yellow iris) and they have the most vocal variations of any Pennsylvania owl.
Since 2003, Sophia has been helping Tamarack educators with their presentations. Her beauty and dark eyes are breathtaking. Sponsor Sophia
Myrtle
Eastern Box Turtle
In the spring of 2018, Myrtle was found injured in the middle of a road and brought to the Center for medical care. With a fractured upper shell and internal injuries, Myrtle initially retreated into her shell and needed to be fed with a syringe. With time and treatment, she literally came out of her shell with personality. Because Myrtle was dropped off without information identifying where she was found, she is not releasable but has been great addition to our education ambassador team.
When Myrtle is not educating kids and adults alike, she loves digging for worms and sunbathing on her log in her enclosure. Sponsor Myrtle
Willow
Screech Owl.
Willow was rescued in 2010 when a tree limb containing her nest was cut down in an Erie, PA city park. Willow was incubating three owlets at the time and injured her wing in the fall. The owl family was brought to Tamarack for care. An excellent mother, once her wing was treated, Willow was united with her babies. After she raised them to adulthood and they were released on Presque Isle. Willow is not able to fly well enough to hunt and has joined our ambassador team.
Always a favorite of the public, Willow joins the other education birds at Tamarack in providing programs to schools, service clubs, camps, churches, and other organizations so the public can discover one of Pennsylvania’s smallest and enigmatic owls. Sponsor Willow
Apollo
Peregrine Falcon
In the spring of 2015, this young, handsome falcon suffered a wing injury and concussion. Treated at Sarvey Wildlife Center in Seattle, WA, he recovered enough to fly short distances but restriction in his wrist prevents him from surviving in the wild. Apollo’s curious, inquisitive personality indicated he could be an excellent ambassador raptor.
The name Apollo refers to the Greek god of light, healing, wisdom, and manly beauty. This Peregrine is a handsome, masculine bird who inspires us to have the wisdom to care for all creatures and bring healing to our world. Sponsor Apollo
Luna
Barn Owl
Luna came to Tamarack from the conservation breeding program of World Bird Sanctuary in Missouri when she was only one month old. She grew quickly from a gangly, tiny dinosaur owlet into a sleek, elegant adult. Luna has an important job to do helping people appreciate owls.
Luna started her training as an ambassador by spending time in the TWC office in order to ensure she is comfortable around people. Time with Luna is never dull. She likes to "catch" small stuffed animals and fly around with them! Sponsor Luna
Tammy
Virginia Opossum
Tammy was admitted as a patient in the summer of 2023 and received her nickname in honor of our center’s name. Tammy is not able to be released, due to her missing a large part of her tail. Opossums need their tails to gather and carry nesting materials to stay warm and for balance when they climb. Tammy instantly charms new human friends with her inquisitive personality and her sweet pink nose! When she isn’t on education programs she enjoys exercising in her large running wheel and eating as many apples and carrots as she’s allowed to have! Sponsor Tammy
Sunny
Gray Rat Snake
Sunny became an official Tamarack ambassador in spring of 2024. He was discovered on a construction site and brought to Tamarack for care. Sunny earned his name because he loves basking under his heat lamp. His docile and curious personality make him a perfect ambassador for his species, and audiences young and old enjoy meeting him in person. We hope Sunny's sweet personality will help the public to respect snakes of all kinds in the wild. Sponsor Sunny
Bear
Eastern Screech Owl
Bear came to TWC in the spring of 2024 when her nest tree was blown down in a storm. Bear sustained a foot injury in the fall that would prevent her from hunting successfully in the wild. She was treated for that injury and put on the path to becoming an ambassador. Bear has an enchanting personality. She loves bath time, pouncing on toys, stretching her wings on programs, and bobbing her head in curiosity at audiences. Bear is sure to be delighting all those who meet her for many years to come! Sponsor Bear