Raptor Inc. is a non-profit organization whose mission is to rescue and rehabilitate injured birds native to the area and educate the general public about the importance of these birds. They host monthly open houses at their main site in Milford every fourth Sunday of the month where there are tours and learning activities incorporating the birds. They also make many public appearances and do private events.
This past weekend, Raptor Inc partnered with Great Park of Hamilton County and I got to attend an event at Lake Isabella with my kids. The volunteers were super friendly and interacted well with people of different ages. They brought several birds with them including a Barred Owl and an American Cockatoo. My daughter learned what the word nocturnal meant and I learned that owls have binocular vision and therefore only see straight ahead, which is why they can turn their heads at 270 degrees both ways. My 18-month-old son was just fascinated by the size of the birds and walked all the way around the roped in area to view them at different angles. There was also an information table with literature as well tangible items such as bird claws and feathers.
Although it was rainy, it was definitely worth the trip to Lake Isabella. I hope to attend one of the open houses in the near future and will definitely go to another off-site event because it was so educational and fun. To learn more about the mission of Raptor Inc., their programming and ways to get involved visit their website at raptorinc.org.