Raptors -Unscripted

Throughout the spring, our wildlife staff has been working hard preparing hawks, owls and other raptors for an exciting new summer program at the Museum, but you’d never know it. That is, Raptors of the Desert Sky, which starts Saturday, lets you see these magnificent birds of prey in the forest, doing what they want to do.



Red-tailed hawks, Harris’ hawks, peregrine falcons, great horned owls, barn owls and Eurasian eagle owls will be flying free, out of view of the Museum buildings. The emphasis is on nature – human factors are minimal. It is not scripted. The birds are not tightly choreographed or trained. They are interacting with the environment and making their own decisions about what to do and when to do it.

“Raptors lead lives that are spectacular and exciting,” says Jim Dawson, Curator of Living Collections. “The flight of a falcon in pursuit of prey leaves a memory far more powerful than a trained trick. In our program, you experience native birds much as you would in the natural world.”                                                    

Shows featuring birds frequently strive to make birds seem more human. The Raptors program does the opposite. Join us and venture into nature and the wild world of birds.

The daily program is 1:30 pm daily throughout the summer starting May 28. Visitors should be prepared to stand outside during the 30-minute program. Weather permitting. Dress for a 30-minute roundtrip hike on a rough trail. Good walking shoes, hats, sunscreen and sunglasses are recommended. The trail is not accessible to strollers and wheelchairs. Members, $1; non-members, $2, plus admission; 4 and under, free.
Sponsored by the Village at Sunriver.