Healing Is For The Birds

SEASON 2, EPISODE 5:

There’s something you need to know up front about this particular episode: It’s for the birds! All of them! Raptors, Songbirds, Scavenger Birds, Owls, I could go on and on. 🐦🦅🦃🦉

Mainly because I love trying to identify different types of birds. In fact, one of my family’s favorite movies is called “The Big Year” with Steve Martin, Jack Black, and Owen Wilson. We watch it frequently and enjoy identifying the various birds who land on our fence or in the trees next to it. But this is nothing compared to today’s guest. Her whole life is birdified!

Wendy Perrone is the founder and executive director of the Three Rivers Avian Center (TRAC) in Brooks West Virginia. TRAC is located right next to the New River Gorge National Park in the southern portion of the New River Gorge National River down by Sandstone Falls Overlook.

Wendy and her husband Ron founded TRAC back in 1990, and they still run it to this day. That’s 31 years of bird rescue, rehabilitation, and reintroduction from the property on which they live. 31 years is a long time so you can count on my asking Wendy about succession planning and the future of the organization.

Season {2} Episode {5}: Wendy Perrone
Image shows woman holding a screech owl on her arm. — A Screech Owl with Wendy

Wendy was a delight to interview. I always find someone’s path into the sector interesting, and you’ll be amazed at what Wendy and her husband did prior to starting TRAC! The thing is, now that they’ve had the organization for so many years, it’s hard to imagine them doing anything else!

With a rather remote location, you might be surprised to know TRAC receives injured birds from all over the state—I think you’ll be impressed with how the birds are transported. Can you say “volunteer coordination”?!

By the time you’re done listening to this podcast, you’ll be observing birds from a whole new perspective. I’m so happy you’re here to learn about the important work Wendy Perrone is doing at Three Rivers Avian Center and what her plans are to keep it going long after she’s gone–not that she’s leaving anytime soon!

🎧 Click here to listen to this episode:

About Wendy Perrone

Season {2} Episode {5}: Wendy Perrone
Image shows a smiling woman holding a large raptor — Spirit and Wendy

Wendy Perrone is the co-founder and Executive Director of Three Rivers Avian Center, a nonprofit dedicated to conserving West Virginia’s wild birds and to educating and involving the public in ecosystem stewardship.

Season {2} Episode {5}: Wendy Perrone
Image shows smiling woman seated holding a bald eagle — 🔗 Connect with Wendy on LinkedIn

The organization was begun in 1990.

Wendy also serves as past-Chair of the Board of Directors of Visit Southern West Virginia, one of the largest convention and visitors bureaus in the State, and recently rotated off the Board of Directors of the Friends of New River Gorge National River (now Park).

Wendy and her husband live on site at the Center, in the southern end of the New River Gorge with their black lab/ Saint Bernard cross doggie and their two indoor cats Alex and Jedidiah.