Cameron Merritt with red-tailed hawk at Birds in Flight in Canfield.... Staff photo / Bob Coupland

CANFIELD — Birds in Flight, which was located in Howland for more than 30 years, has a new roost in Canfield with a rehabilitation hospital for birds and animals.

Several exhibit homes also are taking shape on the 80-acre property off state Route 46.

Heather Merritt, executive director and a wildlife rehabilitator, said the organization has grown from a 1-acre site in Howland to the 80-acre site south of the Canfield Fairgrounds.

She said plans call for 20 octagon-shaped exhibit buildings, each 500 square feet, on the property — with five nearing completion.

To date, the rehab building and five exhibit enclosures have cost $250,000.

Originally Merritt looked at a 64-acre property in Vienna, for which the organization received a donation. But the owners decided not to sell.

In the end, the change of location worked out.

“We are so happy to be here. We can do so much more for the animals here. There are rehab facilities shut down because of avian influenza, so we picked up the slack,” Merritt said.

Birds in Flight has been taking care of birds and animals since 1997, when the last local mammal rehabiltator died.

Merritt takes care of 275 animals, including squirrels, rabbits, hawks and owls.

BIRD FLU AND COVID-19

Merritt said during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, plans were put on hold and no volunteers could be on site to help.

Last year, avian influenza was a concern. This flu is carried by people on their clothes so people could not volunteer or be near the birds and animals.

Merritt said avian influenza, which is very contagious, is back again this year. She said not only birds and animals get the disease, but there are also reported cases of people falling ill.

“Before COVID we had a group of volunteers who would help. Now my son and I do it all,” she said.

Still, Heather and son Cameron Merritt have big plans at the new location.

The educational areas with 20 buildings will feature mammals and birds. She said previous public education programs in the community helped raise money for rehab expenses such as X-rays, surgery and medication.

“Opening up here for the public to eventually to be able to come in is extremely important,” she said.

Merritt said the rehab building has quarantine units and flight cages. She said animals in rehab are not allowed to be seen by the public. The animals now can stay inside the hospital as they recover and are kept safe from avian influenza.

“Each one of the enclosure buildings will house an educational animal. There will be a 2-mile path where people can walk through and enclosures where people can view the animals. We want people to be able to learn about wildlife and enjoy wildlife” she said,

BK Gibson Contractors is building the enclosures when funding becomes available. Merritt said she hopes to have all 20 done by the end of the year.

“When you come here it is very clear: Anything with a red roof you do not go into, while a green roof you can visit,” she said.

Merritt said donations have been received from The Cafaro Foundation, Pegowski Farms and other private donors. Each enclosure costs $10,000 with the donors’ names to be placed on the building.

“We are selling the buildings for the donors. The Pegowski Farms donated the one building,” she said.

Names of donors to the rehab building will be on the outside of the building. Cages for that building are $17,000 each, Merritt said.

“We have done what we can to this point,” she said.

EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE

A red-tailed hawk is the first recipient of an enclosure with plans for a bald eagle, barred owl, foxes, bobcat, groundhog and opossum to eventually be in different buildings.

The sanctuary also includes bee areas with bee hives.

Merritt said long-term plans call for a 210-foot wildlife museum, pond and community garden where the public can plant and donate some of the vegetables and fruit to a food shelter.

“We want to start the Pat Ivan Outdoor Education Day. Pat Ivan was a teacher from Springfield who does an outdoor education day. We used to go to be part of her program all the time but they stopped that program. It was a great program for the students,” she said.

Cameron Merritt said he and his mother are very careful to keep birds and animals healthy and safe.

The two are licensed by the Division of Wildlife and U.S Fish and Wildlife Service and have acquired several permits from the state and federal government for endangered species and educational purposes, Heather Merritt said.

Cameron said fourth- and fifth-graders are the ideal age to be interactive and learn about the wildlife.

‘We are in talks with local schools and colleges. I know Youngstown State University’s veterinary program wants to be involved. We look forward to being open to the public with a trail for people to walk on and see the different animals,” he said.

He said all of the educational displays and cages will be ready in 2024.

Heather said they also will do activities such as tree identification.

“The buildings here are bigger and better in every way than we ever had in Howland,” Cameron said.

He said the Canfield community has made them feel welcome.

Heather said patience has been the key.

“For 31 years, we have taken this step by step, and we will continue that,” she said.

bcoupland@tribtoday.com