Raptor Center Releases Rehabilitated Birds
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Some beautiful and rare birds are back in their natural habitat.
Families gathered at Carpenter Nature Center in Hastings Saturday afternoon to watch The Raptor Center release hawks and eagles back into the wild.
Kids could also stand "nose to beak" with owls, bald eagles and falcons.
All of the birds released Saturday were brought back to good health by The Raptor Center.
The center's executive director, Dr. Julia Ponder, explained why these types of events are important.
"These are kids who, if we can capture their attention, we can teach them about the importance of making the right choices and help us create a more sustainable world," she said.
Saturday's release was part of the Raptor Center's 40th anniversary celebration.
It's helped more than 16,000 birds since 1917. Already, it's helped 580 owls, eagles and falcons in 2014.
The Raptor Center has become a global leader in researching how birds of prey and people live side-by-side.
Doctors from 27 different countries have come to the University of Minnesota campus to study.
While the Raptor Center is part of the U, it's not funded by the U. It's dependent on volunteers and donors, many of whom help with the center's community outreach.
The Raptor Center is one of the only places you can experience the jaw-dropping awe of standing nose-to-beak with a bald eagle. The birds are seen by 150,000 to 200,000 people each year.
Some of the birds who can't fully heal become winged ambassadors. Thirty-three raptors are a part of the center's outreach team.
"It's one of the things we take advantage of is that these birds are so charismatic," Ponder said. "People love them, they capture attention."
The center hosts public tours Tuesdays through Saturdays.