Up Close with Raptors: The Impact of Lake County's Birds of Prey Program on Young Minds

The Da Vinci Waldorf School 4th grade class had an owl come to class! This exciting visit was part of the Birds of Prey program through the Lake County Forest Preserves.

We sat down with Anissa Chadhury, an Environmental Educator for the Lake County Forest Preserves, to learn more about this unusual program.

The Birds of Prey program is one of many types of educational programs that Lake County Forest Preserve offers.

It has been running since the early 2000 and it allows participants to learn about birds of prey, also known as raptors.

Not being too sure of what a bird of prey or raptor was, we quickly learned that a bird of prey is a bird that hunts with its feet. They have talons aka “long, sharp claws” and they use their strong feet to catch their prey. Some examples are owls, hawks, eagles, and falcons.

Lake county forest preserves birds of prey program

Why was the Birds of Prey program created?

Anissa: The program was created so students could better understand the adaptations of birds of prey and their unique role in the ecosystem, especially the food chain. Bringing a live bird of prey into a classroom is a very exciting way to bring nature up close and personal for our students.

How many classrooms do you visit each year?

Anissa: In 2023, our in-school programs visited over 200 classrooms! This number does not include all of the amazing school programming that the Dunn Museum does.

What is the experience like for students in the classroom?

Anissa: All of the in-school programs were developed for multiple learning styles. There is a hands-on portion where students can touch and see nature up close. We’ll bring natural items pelts (skin, fur, feathers), parts of animals and plants into the classroom. For the Bird of Prey program, students are able to feel various raptor specimens including an owl and a  hawk, and they even get to play a guessing gaming to determine which bird eats which prey. The prey specimen is there, so the students get a real-life visual.

Lake county forest preserves birds of prey program

What is the experience like for the Birds of Prey instructor?

Anissa: The instructor’s experience begins before they ever step foot into a classroom! All of our instructors have extensive training with birds of prey. They learn how to handle, transport, and help the birds be comfortable with humans. The safety of the birds, instructor, and students is of utmost importance. And all of our instructors have teaching experience – whether it be in schools, gyms, or nature preserves.

Each group of students is unique and one of our favorite things is to the shift in someone who is initially fearful to ending the presentation being in awe/wonder of this amazing animal. Many animals are seen as “scary” in our culture and when you learn more about an animal, your fear may go away! You have a better appreciation for the animal. For example, owls help us with the rodent population.

Where do the birds of prey live?

Anissa: It is very important to note that we have special permission from the federal government to house these birds. Not just anyone can house an owl – except, of course, Harry Potter!

The birds live in outdoor enclosures called mews at Ryerson Woods Forest Preserve in River Woods, IL. These wild birds were injured early on in their life, so they cannot be released into the wild. They would not survive and depend on the forest preserves to keep them alive. We handle their feedings, vet care, nail trims, and the list goes on!

What would someone study if they wanted to go into this type of work?

There are many different avenues to pursue to land a job as an environmental instructor. Environmental sciences is a broad umbrella that covers a suite of disciplines: physics, biology, geography, ecology, chemistry, plant science, zoology, mineralogy, oceanography, limnology, soil science, rocks, water, ecosystems, biosphere, geology/physical geology, and atmospheric science. Many of the instructors have degrees in one of these disciplines, as well has education experience. The best way to get experience is through internships and getting real world experience. There are now schools that offer either majors or certificates in environmental education.

Anything else you want to tell us about the program?

Birds of Prey are just one of the neat animals you can see in our forest preserves or where you live. We hope that through our programming, it sparks some curiosity or interest in learning more and getting out into these areas. Walk outside where you live and you’ll discover amazing sights!

To learn more or book the Birds of Prey program, visit the Lake County Forest Preserve.

Morgan Branson
Morgan Branson
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