Our Team |
KELLI - FOUNDER
As HH&H's President of the Board of Directors, Kelli is always striving to learn more. She volunteered at Wildlife Rescues since 2006, taken classes at UC Davis's California Raptor Center, the University of Minnesota's Raptor Center, and the World Bird Sanctuary. She has always had a passion for animals, from the long-ago days of catching pollywogs and lizards to today – learning to train birds of prey to work with people in educational programs. Most of her young life, Kelli lived in the southern part of Silicon Valley, back when there were still orchards to explore and hills to climb. She was always fascinated by the great outdoors and the animals that lived there. And she was very fortunate that her parents allowed her to have mice, birds, dogs, and cats (She never did tell them how many lizards and frogs she kept in her room!). Kelli vividly remembers her first trip to Marine World, watching those lucky people work with lions, tigers, dolphins, and raptors, and wished she could grow up to be just like them! As she grew into a young adult, other passions (softball) and, yes, responsibilities (college and work) took precedence in her life. After obtaining a teaching degree, Kelli went back into the field to work as a carpenter, later using her educational knowledge became a Safety Manager for a general contractor. In the late 1990s, she had an opportunity to move to Sacramento, with no idea how wonderful that would be and how it would change her life. Almost immediately, she trained as a Park Ranger, and got involved with a local Wildlife Rescue group to learn rehabilitation, and joined their Education Team. At last, she was able to realize her dream of working with birds of prey! And now, with some grand people around her, she has a fantastic opportunity to do something that she loves in an area that is unique and wonderful. Here's hoping you will love it, too. JEANETTE - VP
Jeanette’s love of nature and wildlife was nurtured growing up along the coastal cliffs and inland valleys of San Diego. Her childhood was spent camping and exploring the Western US with her family, which extended well into adulthood. Jeanette spent her professional career in healthcare spanning 32 years as a Respiratory Therapist and Pulmonary Nurse Specialist with Sutter Health and UC Davis Health System. She also served as a flight nurse in the USAF, 349th AES Travis AFB, CA. In addition to her love of birds of all kinds, Jeanette is an accomplished musician playing flute, saxophone and Scottish bagpipes. Jeanette is thrilled to be part of HH & H, and is looking forward to gaining the skill and knowledge to work with this amazing team of handlers and bird ambassadors. RALPH
Ralph first met HH&H during the 2015 Galt Winter Bird Festival and was hooked by the owls and other fascinating birds of prey. After watching Kelli’s presentations and seeing how professional she and the birds were along with her attention to detail with audience engagement. He knew he truly had a passion and deep love for these awesome animals. He had to learn more and before you knew it, had the duties of driving the HH&H ladies & birds to presentations all over the Bay Area, and even one trip to Falon, Nevada. He slowly gained knowledge of HH&H’s mission and is becoming more involved with handling the birds during presentations. RANIE
Ranie Shreckengost has worked in environmental and wildlife services since 2016 in various disciplines. Her career has been dedicated to threatened and endangered species surveying, wildlife conflict avoidance and environmental compliance investigations. She has developed and delivered various species awareness and educational trainings for contractors, children, and the general public. Ranie has thousands of hours of experience working with bats, reptiles, amphibians, wild birds, and most recently, our raptors here at HH&H! |
Our bIRDS
MURPHY - RED-TAILED HAWK
Murphy has a fascinating history. She came into a wildlife rehabilitation group in El Dorado County, CA, unable to fly or stand. Kelli and Carol actually went on her rescue and were in charge of her rehabilitation. She had no broken bones or any identifiable injury. We didn’t know what was wrong with her. She was just – down. After weeks of food and rest, when she seemed to be recovering her strength, she suddenly had a seizure. She came through that with some setbacks, but was alive and alert, and she recovered once more. Then she suffered another seizure, so Kelli and Dr. Carol, HH&H’s vet of record, took her to Dr. Vickie Joseph a well known raptor veterinarian for an assessment. There, a blood test revealed that Murphy was suffering from West Nile Virus. Red-tailed hawks and owls, along with crows and magpies, are very susceptible to this serious disease. Most birds that contract it die – it affects their entire physical and psychological systems. But Murphy was determined to survive. She was under a year old when she came in and now, years later after care and physical therapy, she has recovered remarkably. She still has balance problems, though she is improving in that area. And she will remain partially blind in both eyes. Kelli, her handler and trainer, flies her, gets her to exercise in other ways, and has helped her come to enjoy entertaining a crowd. But she sees well enough to fly on a creance (a long flexible leash). Kelli has Murphy leashed to her glove so that she can control, to a degree, where and how far Murphy flies. It is good exercise for all concerned! If you click on the video link, you will learn more about Murphy and see her flying for food treats. |
BOLT - PEREGRINE FALCON
Bolt came from the Lindsay Wildlife Museum. He had been rescued as a yearling by some town folks who found him on the ground in their garden, unable to fly. On examination, he was found to have an injured wing, probably from hitting something as he was hunting. Peregrine falcons eat birds they catch in flight, and they dive very fast in a hunt. Young ones sometimes tend to lose control and crash on landing. Despite treatment, Bolt’s wing didn’t recover, but he showed a willingness to work with us clumsy humans. After a couple of setbacks, he is now ready to show once more how beautiful and aerodynamic the falcon’s form really is. When you see his sleek lines and pointed wings, you’ll understand why the Peregrine, who can reach speeds of about 250 mph in a dive, is called the Fighter Pilot of the Bird World. |
WHISPER - BARN OWL
Whisper was found as a very young owl that had fallen out of a very tall palm tree in April of 2017. She suffered some head trauma and was deemed non-releasable so we were able to adopt her. She has been such a wonderful treat for all our volunteers to be around and learn from each other as we get her used to representing Barn Owls. Barn Owls populate every continent in the world except for Antarctica. The Barn Owls in North America are larger than any of the others. They have acute hearing that gives them the ability to successfully capture live prey in a completely dark room. Another fantastic fact about Barn Owls is that they are known to consume 1,000 mice every year! Now how's that for a natural pest killer, no need for Decon if you have Barn Owls around. Whisper is a SUPERSTAR in the making, if you haven't had a chance to meet her, do come out to one of our presentations, you will be delighted. |
CHIP - AMERICAN KESTREL
American Kestrels are the smallest in the Falcon family here in the United States. Another interesting fact about American Kestrels is that they are one of the very few raptors one can identify as either male or female just by the coloration of their feathering. We didn't need to do a DNA test on Chip because we already knew he was a male. Chip came to us in the late summer of 2019 via California Foundation for Birds of Prey. He was actually found by a falconer under some bushes, most likely hiding because he couldn't fly. Somehow he sustained an injury to his shoulder; actually a "chip" to his shoulder, hence his name. He's a handsome guy, you will love his spunky personality. |
HOOTIE - GREAT HORNED OWL
Hootie was brought in to a veterinarian's office mid summer of 2017 after being hit by a car in the early morning hours. Luckily he didn't suffer any broken bones but he did have a traumatic head injury which affected his vision. He was deemed non-releaseable to the wild and we were fortunate enough to be able to adopt him. He is a very sweet guy that has BIG talons and can be intimidating but that's only if you don't know him. Hootie sits well on the glove and is taking good to his training. We think he loves all the free mice he can eat! We are so happy that he's turned into a fantastic Bird Ambassador for us, he's so handsome! |
BOBBIE - WESTERN SCREECH OWL
Bobbie came to Hawks, Honkers & Hoots when she was just a little over a month old. We are unsure of exactly what happened to her but we do know she was brought to California Foundation of Birds of Prey. It was obvious to them that someone unknowingly imprinted her. We can understand why, she's so darn cute, you just want to love on her. We named her Bobbie because she often "bobs" her head. She has taken well to her glove training and already has been to a couple presentations. She has a great personality, she's a BIG ham, can't wait for you to meet her. |
BENNI - WHITE-TAILED KITE
Meet Benni who joined HH&H in the fall of 2019. Benni came to us via California Foundation for Birds of Prey. White-tailed Kites are not known to tame down easily, not Benni, she is a charmer and loves the attention that she gets at our presentations. Both of these photos are of Benni; the photo on the left is Benni sporting her juvenile feathering, the photo on the right is Benni in almost full adult plumage. What is significant about this is that we know that she was hatched sometime in the Spring of 2019. We were under the impression that Benni was a boy so he got "his" name, "Benny" to honor Benjamin Franklin, who is known for flying "kites." Then we received the DNA test and learned Benni is actually female but we decided to keep the name. White-tailed Kites are the beautiful white birds who can face into the wind and "kite" or hover over an open field in an attempt to locate prey. Once located, the White-tailed Kite will drop out of the sky on top of its quarry. Benni has a BIG personality and is vocal, especially when she hears us talk. We look forward to sharing her with you! |
JOAQUIN - SWAINSON'S HAWK
We received a phone call in June of 2020 regarding a baby hawk that was found on a farm down in Ripon. The people couldn't get the baby back up to its nest safely, it was up about 40'. We asked if they could get a transport to Galt and I could meet them. We got the baby in to see our Veterinarian who determined the little one was non-releasable. We requested a DNA test to be done to see if the baby was a male or female. While we waited for the DNA test to be returned we decided to add the baby to our organization. While we had Trek who was a Swainson's Hawk, we thought it would be great to be able to show the difference between the sizes in males and females if the baby ended up being a male. Luck was with us, the results came back male! The next would be what color morph would he end up being. Trek is considered a "dark morph" and the chances of him being the same is slim. Swainson's Hawks take three years to get into adult plumage, so by the summer of 2022, we will knew what morph he would be. Our next task was to find a name for him which we always have a bit of fun with. He was found in San Joaquin Valley, "walking around," so that was it, his name was given...Joaquin! |
LUCY - CANADA GOOSE
We got a call back in September of 2021, asking us if we would consider adding a new Ambassador to HH&H. The funny thing is that not two weeks prior, our team talked about how we would love to add a "Honker" back to our lineup of birds. It was nothing short of amazing how things just worked out. HH&H hasn't had a goose as a part of our Ambassador lineup since 2013 and it is quite exciting for us. She is a gosling, hatched in the spring of 2020 and full of personality! She is very smart and has taken well to her clicker training. She loves to eat dandelion greens, dried mealworms and corn as a part of her training. We can't wait to share her with you, we are certain that you will love her as much as we do. |
RIVER - RED-SHOULDERED HAWK
We welcomed River who came from the San Diego Humane Society. She is a "hatch year bird", which means that she was hatched in the Spring of this year (2022). She was rescued because he had a broken leg which was surgically repaired but during his rehabilitation, she imprinted on people. Being an imprint, she became "non-releasable" and that gave us an opportunity to adopt her. Red-shouldered Hawks are prevalent here in the Sacramento Valley so she will fit right in with the others. She is doing well in her training and out to meet the public soon. She is in her juvenile plumage that will change over the next couple years. Red-shouldered Hawks are very vocal and she sure does let us know that she's joined HH&H. Quick update on River, she made her debut at our Annual Fundraiser on October 15, 2022! She did amazing and will only get better in time. |
IN MEMORY OF
In life, nothing is guaranteed, not even life itself or the time we have on this earth. All we can do is cherish our moments together and make each encounter as special as possible. At Hawks Honkers & Hoots, like any organization connected to living creatures, we feel the sorrow of losing Ambassadors who've served us faithfully. Our shared journeys are unique and impactful, touching many lives with beauty, knowledge, and laughter. We'll always miss our birds and value their role in our lives. Their spirits endure within us and will remain with us until we reunite.
WHOO-DINI - NORTHERN PYGMY
We were so very fortunate to get a Northern Pygmy since not much is known about them or their lives in the wild. Whoo-Dini came to us from a rescue group in South Lake Tahoe. He was an instant hit when people were able to see him at a program. He was quite small but had a BIG personality. We don't know how old he was when we got him but we loved him every moment he was with us! Northern Pygmy's are the second smallest owl in the United States. Whoo-Dini has an injured right wing which is why he came to HH&H in December of 2016. He is learning to be a fantastic Ambassador for Hawks, Honkers & Hoots. Northern Pygmy Owls are diurnal, meaning that they are day owls - active during the day light hours. He weighs in at a slight 70 grams and is no larger than an iPhone 5! These owls may be small but they're mighty in their hunting skills; they can take prey twice their size. Whoo-Dini has earned his name by being one of the best little escape artist ever known! Don't miss seeing this adorable, handsome guy. DIEGA - BURROWING OWL
On the day of our "Owl-O-Ween" Fundraiser, we let USFWS and CAFWS know that we were looking for another Burrowing Owl. We had a wonderful experience with our little lady Digger for a few years, and when she passed away, we wanted to look for another that needed a home. Of course it took a number of years for us to be ready, but the timing was just right. We received a call in early December of 2021 letting us know that a Burrowing Owl was in need of placement. We were so excited! This little lady was found injured down in the San Diego area, hence her name - Diega. She was brought into the San Diego Humane Society with loss of vision in her left eye due to possibly being hit by a car. It took some planning, and on January 12th we flew to Irvine to meet Erin who is a volunteer for the San Diego Humane Society. She graciously drove Diega up to Irvine to meet us. The airlines would not allow us to bring Diega into the cabin of the airplane, so we rented a car and drove from Irvine back to Sacramento with her! |
TREK - SWAINSON'S HAWK
Trek was so very special, she was so patient and would spread her beautiful wings on command as in this photo above. She was always the first "big" bird that we trained new volunteers with. She was a crowd favorite and will be missed dearly. When Trek was rescued, Dr. Joseph originally thought perhaps Trek had West Nile Virus that compromised her vision. She also had an infection in her fourth toe on the right foot that had to be amputated. Missing that toe doesn’t seem to bother her grip or stance. Because of these disabilities, Trek was deemed non-releasable back to the wild. She then came to us to become a permanent education ambassador in April of 2014. She has matured into a beautiful dark morph which we are told that in Swainson's Hawk represents only 10% of their species. Trek is excellent on the glove and is an outstanding steward for raptors at our many public events. She is named Trek because of the annual migration that Swainson’s Hawks make to Mexico and as far as Argentina every winter. |
CLICKY - WESTERN SCREECH OWL
Clicky was what we called our "Steady Eddy," he had accumulated the most presentations in his short time with us and was a crowd favorite. Clicky came to HH&H from the Lindsay Wildlife Museum in Walnut Creek, CA, in December 2012. He had been found as a young bird by hikers, who rescued him from mobbing crows and ravens, and took him to Lindsay for treatment. During pre-release flight training, his caretakers noted that he could not gain height or sustain flight well enough to hunt and survive in the wild. They concluded, sadly, that he was non-releasable but had a wonderful life with Hawks, Honkers & Hoots. |
HOVER - AMERICAN KESTREL
Hover was a handsome American Kestrel who joined HH&H as an Education Ambassador in August 2014. He was a male, as identified by his striking blue-grey coloring on his wings and head. Hover was imprinted on humans, meaning that he did not know he was a Kestrel and would behave in a very un-bird-like manner in the wild. Hover's favorite food was a fat mealworm, but he liked mice and the occasional quail bits. He was quite the communicator, chattering every time we'd come near him. We continued to work with Hover to make him feel comfortable in his role as an Education Ambassador. Hover's outgoing personality and interest in people made him very special. |
PHOENIX - OSPREY
Ospreys are well known for being difficult to rehabilitate let alone tame down to become Education Ambassadors. We knew Phoenix was special and wanted her to blaze trails for other Osprey, and that she did! We were very dedicated to working with Phoenix to get her comfortable in her role as an Education Ambassador and she became a SUPERSTAR in a short time! She loved to be on the glove and seemed to be interested in people who came to see her. Phoenix was a beautiful Osprey who joined HH&H in November 2014. Phoenix, who used to be called Singe, was rescued from a fire with her two siblings by Wildlife Images in Merlin, Oregon. She suffered damage to her wings and feathers and lost her ability to fly with ease. She found herself a permanent home and rose from the ashes! Phoenix loved salmon and trout. Her most favorite thing to do was to tear the lips off her fish! We will truly miss her! |
TURBO - AMERICAN KESTREL
Turbo came to us a youngster, he was stolen from his nest when he was just a little guy. Someone was hand-raising him but was forfeited to USFWS. He was unable to be returned to the wild since he had already imprinted to humans. We were so very fortunate to have spent some really special times with him Turbo often showed his love for people and was so willing to learn new things, it's no wonder that he was a crowd favorite. We all shared a special bond with him that will be cherished forever. We love and miss you every day Turbo! |
DIGGER - BURROWING OWL
Just a little sweet gal, Digger came to us from Folsom, where she most likely had been hit by a vehicle. After a visit to the wildlife ophthalmologist, it was concluded that the damage to Digger’s left eye was so severe that she would no longer be able to see. She faithfully served as an Ambassador for HH&H for five years. People just loved her and all the unique quirks Burrowing had. Digger was sweet and so willing to help us educate the public. She always made a great impact at every program she was at. We miss her dearly. |