VINS welcomed Spokane in May 2026 from an educational breeder in Washington State. VINS staff are raising and training her in the company of humans to encourage comfortable and eager participation as an Education Ambassador. Male and female Northern Hawk Owls look similar and have some crossover in sizing, so the breeder provided DNA testing to confirm Spokane is female. This information allows us to educate about male/female differences in this species when teaching about the species' ecology. Although Northern Hawk Owls do not breed in Vermont, the species can be observed during irruptive years – when owls disperse further south due to harsh winters and food limitations.