Free Flight Raptor Show

Raptors are birds of prey that hunt & feed on live animals. They have long, sharp talons and hooked beaks, sharp eyesight and can plummet at speeds of over 80 mph. They are different than most bird species in that the females are larger than the males and both sexes have the same coloring.

This is a an amazing thing to see; you view the birds in flight, at times inches above your head and landing in precision to 'catch' the small pieces of meat left for them; then when their time is up, they fly back to the trainer (the raptors are all part of a wildlife rescue program and are not displayed in the museum).

GREY HAWK 

This hawk lives in wooded areas of SW of the U.S., Mexico, Argentina & Brazil.  In Arizona & Texas it is now a threatened species.  The bird weighs approximately 16 oz, wingspan of 35" and feeds on small mammals, lizards & snakes.

PRAIRIE FALCON

About the size of a crow, weighs approx 1.5 lbs, wingspan of 40" and the medium-sized falcon of western North America.

They hunt by flying fast and low (about a meter above ground) to surprise prey.  This bird will prey on other birds in mid-flight.   They cruise at speeds of 45 mph and increase speed in a chase. 

The peregrine falcon is the fatest raptor with diving speeds of up to 200 mph. 



Extensive land development in the Okanagan Valley (British Columbia) has had devastating effects on the habitat & therefore numbers of prairie falcons.  The persecution of ground squirrels has also taken away one of their main food sources.   In the heat of summer the falcon heat to alpine areas as the squirrel hibernate underground.

DESERT GREAT HORNED OWL

Majestic is this large bird of approx 3 lbs and a wingspan of 55-60", found in the Americas (many subspecies identified).

They have binocular vision & can see in very low light.   As the eyes are fixed in the sockets, they are able to turn their heads 270 degrees to see.   They have 200-300 lb per sq inch crushing ability in the talons (humans hands are about 60 lbs per sq inch).

They do not move far from the territory they were born in (up to 80 km) and will often take over other large bird nests, rather than build their own.

They are very silent in flight and feed on rabbits, rodents, coots, ducks and even up the the size of the Great Blue Heron.  Domesticated cats and small dogs can also be prey.  

They have almost no predators as adults but will die in conflicts with Eagles, Snowy Owls & other Horned Owls.

FERRUGINOUS HAWK

(Latin meaning - 'rust')

The largest hawk in N. America, endangered Canada-wide.   They are often mistaken for young eagles.  They weigh approx 2.2-4.5 lbs and have a wingspan of 48-60". 

In Arizona, the prairie dogs were extinguished and the ferruginous hawks moved on as their main food source was depleted.  Today, the prairie dogs are slowly being reintroduced through wildlife programs, into the state of Arizona.

To date, the Ferruginous Hawk is protected by the Species at Risk Act, Canada National Parks Act, Alberta's Wildlife Act, Manitoba Endangered Species Act. 

One last honor to an animal that you don't relate to the desert ...

 the RIVER OTTER.

River Otters could once be found in many major Arizona Rivers such as the Salt, Verde, and Gila Rivers. Diversion of these rivers by people for farming, livestock, industry, and cities caused significant changes in the otters habitat. By the 1960's there were no longer any native river otters left in Arizona. Between 1981 and 1983, The Arizona Game and Fish Department released 46 transplanted Louisiana otters into the Verde River area. This population has successfully established itself, and it is estimated that about 100 otters now live in that area.

This is only a small taste of all the life we saw - whether it be botannical, amphibians, reptile - there is still much for us to view and hope to get back for another visit someday.