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1 <br /> Most of the additional construction details are intended to minimize <br /> chances of escape of residents, which would mean certain death for a <br /> crippled bird, or entry of predators such as racoons. Throughout the <br /> ' cage, care must be taken that there are no spaces greater than 3/4 ", <br /> including between slats and where framing sections are joined, especially <br /> roof to walls. Food boxes with a hinged back are built into the wall <br /> next to the door to lessen the need to enter the cage. (Those for <br /> ground - dwelling species are placed low.) Door openings are only two feet <br /> wide and four feet high, so there is little room for birds to exit while <br /> attendants are entering. Doors open outward and are placed 12 -18" above <br /> ground level to minimize problems associated with heavy snowfalls <br /> experienced in Vermont. <br /> Residential Flight Habitats <br /> There are twenty -two large flight habitats for permanently disabled <br /> birds in the public section of the Vermont Raptor Center. They were <br /> designed to house a single species, with the exception of the Buteo <br /> cages, in which Red - tailed and Rough - legged Hawks share space, and Red - <br /> shouldered and Broad - winged Hawks occupy one habitat. Two flight <br /> habitats, for Bald and Golden Eagles and for Sharp- shinned and Cooper's <br /> Hawks were built as large units divided by an interior wall to allow <br /> visitors to make closer comparisons of the inhabitants. <br /> The location of cages in relation to paths used by people should be <br /> considered. If possible, cages should be placed upslope from paths so <br /> the birds may gain some sense of security by being higher than the <br /> people. If a site does not allow this, cages must have adequate ceiling <br /> height and high enough perches to produce a similar effect. The size of <br /> the cages can also affect the occupant's sense of security; larger birds <br /> require larger flight habitats to allow them to perch at greater <br /> distances from visitors. <br /> See Table I for complete listing of dimensions of flight habitats in <br /> the Vermont Raptor Center. Not knowing the type or extent of disability <br /> of birds to be housed, flight habitats were designed for birds with good <br />