Beauty and the Beak Project

Background

Beauty is an 8 year old American Bald Eagle rescued by Jane Fink  Cantwell of the Birds of Prey NW located near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Beauty was rescued two years ago in Alaska after she was found nearly dead and emaciated after a having her top beak shot off and left to die. The resulting damage from the bullet left Beauty with only a small portion of her left upper beak and nearly eliminated the majority of the right side. Consequently, with the inability to consume solid food, she has been sustained by being forcep-fed daily by her handlers at the Birds of Prey NW.

Birds of Prey NW Organization

Birds of Prey NW is nearing 18 years of operation and is run by the love and dedication of Jane and the Birds of Prey volunteers as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  Birds of Prey NW  operates under special U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Idaho Department of  Fish and Game permits. To help promote raptor awareness and conservation, Jane travels to schools in the western states with trained life birds of prey for purposes of education.

The Mission

In cooperation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Jane accompanied Beauty who was flown to the north Idaho Birds of Prey NW facility.  After the transfer of Beauty to Idaho, Jane began her efforts to assemble the resources and advice from industry pundits in effort to give Beauty a chance at life – an effort, that produced the unanimous 'expert' opinion that the bird could not be saved and she be euthanized an option – Janie fiercely refused to accept!

Just a short time thereafter at a public presentation in Boise, Idaho she met Nate Calvin, a Mechanical Engineer who had brought his two daughters to the event to witness the majestic birds first hand and up-close. During her presentation, she presented the other raptor species and finished with a heart-wrenching tale of Beauty’s plight and her subsequent failed efforts to garner the required support to save Beauty. However, Jane had attracted the curiosity and competitive nature of Nate who approached her after the presentation with a comment she had not heard from anyone prior.

"I think I can help you with Beauty if you are interested...." – words that rang a tune to Jane’s ears, thus began the first critical step toward a concentrated effort to help restore the bird she so passionately defended to save – to restore the bird to a form that was befitting of her namesake – BEAUTY!

Design Process

Nate is the founder of Kinetic Engineering Group, a Boise-based engineering company primarily involved in new product development and design services of various products and industries. Working exclusively in the 3D CAD software package SolidWorks, KEG had no prior experience with animals or prosthetics and bolstered only by the internal drive and enthusiasm to save Beauty and prove the doubting pundits wrong. The process has begun and is progressing well!!

Many contributors and sponsors are involved in the process of Beauty's new prosthetic beak. With the help of scientists, researchers, engineers, dental and medical specialists, who are all volunteering their time, Beauty has an opportunity to become an example of the cruelty and compassion of mankind.

For more information on Beauty and the efforts to restore her beak click here.

You may make donations using PayPal, VISA/MC, or by check.

Make checks out to "Birds of Prey NW" and mail to: Birds of Prey NW PO Box 3507 Coeur d'Alene, ID 83816

Birds Of Prey Northwest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your contributions are tax deductible as permitted by Federal law for non-profit organizations and help support our mission to educate about the ecological importance of birds of prey and provide medical treatment to wild, injured raptors.

All donations are accepted to further our mission. Your generosity helps to educate many students and people in the community with our live bird of prey educational programs, and to rescue injured wild birds in need. You will receive a receipt indicating your donation for purposes of tax deduction.