North American Birds of Prey    Wingmasters with Jim Parks  and Julie Collier 

Many of you have attended Wingmasters programs here before, but this year Julie Collier will present along with Jim Parks!

Birds of prey are also known as raptors, and they are hunting birds characterized by hooked beaks and powerful grabbing feet armed with sharp talons (the word raptor comes from a Latin word that means "to seize"). Raptors can also boast the best eyesight and the sharpest hearing in the animal kingdom. Raptors include hawks, falcons and owls, and this presentation, which incorporates 5 live birds of prey, all native to New England, gives an overview of these different categories. The program is designed to explain predation, the birds' place at the top of the food web, their different hunting adaptations and their status in a rapidly changing world. Because many birds of prey are declining in number, this presentation also features one or more of the endangered raptors that WINGMASTERS cares for, and explains why these species face an uncertain future.

For families with children grades 1 through grade 7!  Children under 8 must be attended by an adult caregiver.