It all started in the early ’90s when Rodney Stotts was cleaning the Anacostia River. He and his fellow volunteers were touring the U.S. to help with environmental initiatives in different states. While Stotts' original intention was to avoid charges of tax fraud while selling drugs on the side, he always had a profound appreciation for nature and wildlife that flourished during his time volunteering. It was in those moments that Stotts found his passion for rehabilitating all types of raptors, starting his journey to becoming a master falconer and one of the first Black Falconers in the U.S.
In Stotts’ memoir, Bird Brother: A Falconer’s Journey and the Healing Power of Wildlife, Stotts explains how his endeavor toward becoming a master falconer has been complicated by anti-Black racism. To become a master falconer, each prospective student must have a sponsor to guide them through the world of Falconry and help them receive their license for the care and ownership of raptors. For Stotts, that became difficult because each potential sponsor he would reach out to would laugh in his face and question the validity of a Black falconer. Determined to become licensed and pursue his goals of spreading the healing power of preserving the ecosystem and rehabilitating raptors, Stotts would eventually come to find Suzanne Shoemaker, who would take him on as her apprentice.
Currently, Rodney is involved in the wildlife rehabilitation community and has his own program called Rodney’s Raptors, which supports troubled youths by helping them cultivate their love for wildlife the same way he was able to when he joined the Earth Conservation Corps back in the early ’90s. His love for conservation efforts also led him to help reintroduce Bald Eagles back into the area surrounding the Anacostia River. To learn more about Rodney Stotts and his journey through falconry, wildlife rehabilitation, and nature conservation, check out his memoir, Bird Brother: A Falconer’s Journey and the Healing Power of Wildlife and follow him on Instagram at @rodney_birdbrother