Behind the Scenes at Raptor Free Flight
By Dan Weisz
I volunteer with the Raptor Free Flight educational program at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. We work with a variety of raptors, all native to the Southwestern deserts, and fly them in a natural environment while sharing interpretive information about the birds along with conservation messages. About half of our raptors were rehab birds, unable to be returned to the wild—the other half were captive bred. Our season began on October 30 and runs with one morning demo daily (excluding Wednesdays) through early April.
If you want a close-up view of some spectacular birds, this program is for you! Here’s a look at some of the Raptor Free Flight birds that are participating this year—you’re always guaranteed a great show.
Usually a pair of Chihuahuan Ravens begins the demo. The female bird, named Einstein, has been with the program for 17 years now, having been rescued when her nest was blown down in the Willcox area and her parents abandoned the nest.
Her partner Dante came to the program just a few years ago. Game and Fish had confiscated him from a family that had been keeping him as a pet. Besides being illegal, ravens do not make good house pets. It took a few years for Dante to become a confident flyer but he is a great representative of his species now.
One of our regular birds is an 11 year-old Great Horned Owl. Her wingspan of well over four feet, seen up close, always surprises me. Named for the feather “ear” tufts on her head, they have nothing to do with her ears. Their purpose is unknown but may help to break up her silhouette when she roosts on a tree branch during the day. You may feel the brush of her feathers as she flies right over your head from perch to perch during the demo.
The owl’s name is Little Bit, or “LB”. Here is a photo composite I created of her as she had just flown in, eaten a snack, paused, and then she took off towards her next perch.
Here is another composite of Little Bit. Behind her is Avra Valley, the Baboquivari Mountains and Kitt Peak, showing the beautiful environment the Free Flight birds fly in.
One of our special birds is a Gray Hawk who is named “Gray” of all things! She is the only Gray Hawk that we know of in any AZA (Association of Zoos & Aquariums) accredited facility in the US. She is another rescue who was illegally raised by someone before ending up at a rehab center. She never learned to fly as a youngster so it took years for her to develop her bird skills. At 16 years old now, she is a stunningly beautiful bird to see so closely.
One of the newer birds to the program is a Crested Caracara. Now 4 years old, “Squeeks” is a crowd favorite. Crested Caracaras are very intelligent birds, so his routine is variable to help engage his curiosity. This year, he has finally grown in his black adult feathers and most of his white feathers, but he still may need another year to look like a full adult.
Here was Squeeks at one year old:
And now Squeeks as a four-year old, soaring into the demo site over our heads.
Harris’s Hawks in Arizona have evolved to hunt in family groups. It’s believed that they don’t use this hunting method in the other parts of their range in Texas, Mexico, or Central and South America. Other than one species in the Galapagos, Harris’s Hawks are the only raptors in the world to hunt cooperatively.
On any given day, three to six Harris’s Hawks may participate in the program. Watching this family soaring overhead, hunting for food, squabbling over a choice perch spot, and interacting all around you is an incredible sight.
I thoroughly enjoy volunteering for Raptor Free Flight and the opportunity to see these wonderful birds up close. Stop by sometime this season to check it out yourself. You’ll be glad you did!
Dan Weisz is a native Tucsonan and retired educator who enjoys birding, being in nature, and taking photographs.
I volunteer with the Raptor Free Flight educational program at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. We work with a variety of raptors, all native to the Southwestern deserts, and fly them in a natural environment while sharing interpretive information about the birds along with conservation messages. About half of our raptors were rehab birds, unable to be returned to the wild—the other half were captive bred. Our season began on October 30 and runs with one morning demo daily (excluding Wednesdays) through early April.
If you want a close-up view of some spectacular birds, this program is for you! Here’s a look at some of the Raptor Free Flight birds that are participating this year—you’re always guaranteed a great show.
Usually a pair of Chihuahuan Ravens begins the demo. The female bird, named Einstein, has been with the program for 17 years now, having been rescued when her nest was blown down in the Willcox area and her parents abandoned the nest.
Her partner Dante came to the program just a few years ago. Game and Fish had confiscated him from a family that had been keeping him as a pet. Besides being illegal, ravens do not make good house pets. It took a few years for Dante to become a confident flyer but he is a great representative of his species now.
One of our regular birds is an 11 year-old Great Horned Owl. Her wingspan of well over four feet, seen up close, always surprises me. Named for the feather “ear” tufts on her head, they have nothing to do with her ears. Their purpose is unknown but may help to break up her silhouette when she roosts on a tree branch during the day. You may feel the brush of her feathers as she flies right over your head from perch to perch during the demo.
The owl’s name is Little Bit, or “LB”. Here is a photo composite I created of her as she had just flown in, eaten a snack, paused, and then she took off towards her next perch.
Here is another composite of Little Bit. Behind her is Avra Valley, the Baboquivari Mountains and Kitt Peak, showing the beautiful environment the Free Flight birds fly in.
One of our special birds is a Gray Hawk who is named “Gray” of all things! She is the only Gray Hawk that we know of in any AZA (Association of Zoos & Aquariums) accredited facility in the US. She is another rescue who was illegally raised by someone before ending up at a rehab center. She never learned to fly as a youngster so it took years for her to develop her bird skills. At 16 years old now, she is a stunningly beautiful bird to see so closely.
One of the newer birds to the program is a Crested Caracara. Now 4 years old, “Squeeks” is a crowd favorite. Crested Caracaras are very intelligent birds, so his routine is variable to help engage his curiosity. This year, he has finally grown in his black adult feathers and most of his white feathers, but he still may need another year to look like a full adult.
Here was Squeeks at one year old:
And now Squeeks as a four-year old, soaring into the demo site over our heads.
Harris’s Hawks in Arizona have evolved to hunt in family groups. It’s believed that they don’t use this hunting method in the other parts of their range in Texas, Mexico, or Central and South America. Other than one species in the Galapagos, Harris’s Hawks are the only raptors in the world to hunt cooperatively.
On any given day, three to six Harris’s Hawks may participate in the program. Watching this family soaring overhead, hunting for food, squabbling over a choice perch spot, and interacting all around you is an incredible sight.
I thoroughly enjoy volunteering for Raptor Free Flight and the opportunity to see these wonderful birds up close. Stop by sometime this season to check it out yourself. You’ll be glad you did!
Dan Weisz is a native Tucsonan and retired educator who enjoys birding, being in nature, and taking photographs.
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