Public Program: Avian Haven – A Sanctuary for Maine’s Wild Birds

Avian Haven, located in Freedom, ME, is dedicated to the rehabilitation and care of injured and orphaned wild birds with the goal of returning them to their natural habitats. They strive to provide the highest standards of care and treatment for their avian patients.  Avian Haven Clinic Director Kim Chavez and Rehabilitation Manager Marcy DeCoff will share Avian Haven’s mission, history, operations and success stories.

Kim Chavez grew up in a little town in Oregon just south of the capital. She graduated from Unity College with a major in Captive Wildlife Care & Education and a focus in Wildlife Rehabilitation. She got her first taste in the rehab field during an internship at Turtle Ridge Wildlife Center, previously in Salem, OR. At Turtle Ridge, she was primarily responsible for caring for the patients of the baby bird room from intake to release. After two summers with Turtle Ridge, Kim completed a summer internship position with Avian Haven and after graduating the following year returned to Avian Haven as a rehab staff member. Kim has continued to learn and develop her skills in the Wildlife Medicine field through continuing education and by working with exotic species at River Road Veterinary Hospital in Orrington, ME. She is now the Clinic Director overseeing all aspects of Avian Haven’s clinic.

Born and raised in California, Marcy DeCoff has been an avid nature lover from the start. After an impressive twenty-four-year career with the United States Air Force, Marcy and her family made the move to Maine. Partaking in an abundance of hiking, kayaking, and environmental photography, Marcy stumbled upon an eagle sitting in her nest in 2022. After a significant storm unseated an eaglet from that very nest, Marcy sprang into action and got the eaglet into care at Avian Haven. From that moment on, it didn’t take long for Marcy to catch the wildlife rehabilitation bug and officially join the flock at Avian Haven where she is now the Rehabilitation Manager.

Location: Curtis Memorial Library, Morrell Room, Brunswick