There is a saying that goes something like, “If you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life."
Alix Parks obviously lives by this manta as she spends countless hours fulfilling her passion of caring for raptors as the founder of HappiNest Raptor Rescue in Signal Mountain.
There isn’t a moment when Parks is not caring for injured Barred Owls, Red‑tailed Hawks, Screech Owls, Red‑shouldered Hawks, Kestrels, Great Horned Owls, Cooper’s Hawks, Black Vultures, Turkey Vultures, Bald Eagles, Osprey, Sandhill Cranes, American Crows, Wild Turkeys — and more.
From the time she was seven, Parks has been caring for wildlife. It started with baby squirrels, opossums, raccoons, and birds at her aunt’s rehab center in Georgia. Later, caring for birds of prey became her life-long mission.
Over the course of many years, she studied, watched, learned from others, and immersed herself in a world which revolves around wondrous feathered creatures with sharp talons, keen eyesight and hunting skills and intellectual minds.
She’s spent hours rehabilitating injured raptors. Hours spent preparing their meals. Hours spent dressing their wounds and cleaning their temporary homes. Hours upon hours, all in the hope that one day she will get a few minutes to release a rehabilitated raptor back into their natural environment.
Countless hours, not for a paycheck, but for the reward of seeing a hawk fly back into the wild, or an owl released back into the forest. It is demanding work, but Parks loves every minute of it.
With a background in biology and psychology, Parks is a federally and state permitted wildlife rehabilitator, a designation few people have earned.
Her husband Wayne helped construct the various and spacious holding facilities housing the raptors at her private Signal Mountain home. Right now, several Screech owls, Barred Owls, hawks, and Zena, HappiNest’s ambassador Red Tail Hawk call the rescue home.
Zena is Park’s forever resident as her handicap means she can never be released back into the wild. Parks and Zena travel to schools and events where she educates people about raptor health, conservation, how to be a good steward of their habitat, eating, hunting and nesting habits. It is her way of educating the public about birds of prey and their importance in the local ecosystem.
Every inch of Park’s home is devoted to the raptors. During my tour, Parks had just picked up a small Barred Owl with an injured wing that was entangled in fishing wire. She carefully applied a little salve on the wing and examined the bird before placing it in a temporary holding cage. All around me were rescue pamphlets, educational resources, coloring papers for younger children, artfully crafted nests, food, medicine and temporary cages and housing. Her two dogs stand guard, letting her know if someone is around the house.
Every raptor had a rescue story. She told me where each and every bird was rescued. Which ones were scheduled for surgeries. Which ones were recovering well and learning to hunt on their own again. Parks talked about every bird in her care. She knew every bit of their history, each one of their names, where they were in their recovery process and which birds had the potential to soon be released. These weren’t just rehabilitating raptors; they’re more like her children and patients.
HappiNest Raptor Rescue is a 501c-3 non-profit and relies on the support of volunteers, donations and sponsorships. Parks said when she receives a call about an injured bird, they are rescued and immediately taken to the professional Veterinarians at the Chattanooga Zoo. She is trained in treating and caring for various injuries and illnesses but a complete checkup by the Zoo’s Vet staff comes first.
Parks works with a network of rescuers who work with other wildlife. Parks said it’s a small circle of folks like her, who volunteer their time and typically a lot of their own money to rescue and protect wildlife. They are all unpaid volunteers, not government funded.
As we walked around Parks said she hopes the next generation of volunteers will step up and take the reins. As much as she loves what she’s doing there will come a time when age factors into how much she can do. Until then she continues to care for the raptors at her rescue until, little by little, they can be set free.
It certainly placed a smile on my face to see the level of care Parks provides for her raptors. HappiNest Raptor Rescue is not open for public tours. She does allow pre-scheduled visits and a $50 donation since the tour takes an hour or up to 90 minutes. Children under 10 cannot tour the facility since their immunity has not fully developed. Also, wear shoes you will not be wearing in your home.
It takes a lot of money to care for several injured birds of prey. For example, feeding an adult owl costs $8 or more a day, not including medication, vet bills, electricity, etc. So if Parks has 40 raptors in care, which typically she does this time of year, food alone can be crushing.
There are several ways you can help. If possible, volunteer to help Parks care for the birds and ensure that a future generation will continue to carry the torch. You can be a sponsor.
Sponsoring a raptor release is a special way to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, milestones, memorials, and more. You can name a raptor, hold it, and release it back into its natural habitat.
You can donate directly to HappiNest Raptor Rescue by visiting their website at: www.happinestraptorrescue.com
Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on their PayPal or Venmo link.