Jane Hinrichs

BLUNT — The feathers were flying in the Agar-Blunt-Onida School District Friday as representatives from Wildlife Experience Inc., out of Rapid City, put on a “Birds of Prey” program.

Lead educator Julia Avison and general curator Becky Svalstad took turns talking about and showing the students four different raptors they brought with them.

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Prior to bringing out the first bird, Avison asked the students to keep the noise level down.

“Sometimes (the birds) can get scared in front of large groups of people,” she said.

The first raptor shown was a red-tailed hawk named Elise. Avison used Elise to show the students three characteristics of a raptor:

“Number one are those talons ... number two that beak ... (and) number three raptors have really good eye sight,” Avison said.

The talons are perfect for catching the birds’ prey, and the hooked beak is great for “ripping into meat.”

Elise was taken from a home where she was fed inappropriate food during her formative years. This made her bones weak, so she cannot be released into the wild. Plus, she doesn’t know how to be a red-tailed hawk. The people who birdnapped her did her a disservice, Avison said.

“They don’t make good pets,” she said.

Avison explained about thermals — pockets of hot air — and how hawks and eagles love to ride them.

“If they float up a mile in the air, they can coast for seven miles,” she said.

The second bird brought out was a gerfalcon with a leather hood over its eyes. It was a rare color, mostly white with black markings,

“This is actually the (kind of bird) kings would take out (hunting)” in the middle ages, she said.

Avison explained why falcons are the fastest birds.

“Their whole body is shaped like a bullet,” she said. “The peregrine falcon ... can reach speeds over 200 miles per hour.” 

Svalstad explained some of the falcon’s background.

“This bird started out as a breeder,” Svalstad said. “Then she got to be a falconry hunter herself ... She was donated to us so she can be an ambassador for us” for all falcons.

Svalstad brought out the third bird, a tiny screech owl.

“His name is Boo,” Avison said. “Owls are very silent flyers.”

Avison showed the students the difference between an owl wing and a hawk wing and why the owl can fly silently while the hawk cannot.

“They also have amazing hearing,” she added.

And finally, Svalstad brought out the fourth raptor, a bald eagle.

“He was a bird found in the wild with a broken wing,” Svalstad said.

She told the students how bald eagles use to be endangered, but because of some intervention by eagle experts, they no longer are.

“In 2007, they were completely taken off the endangered species list,” Svalstad said proudly.

After the women spoke about each bird, students were given the opportunity to ask questions. Many questions were asked by students and community members.

The program was sponsored by the state Department of Game, Fish and Parks and hosted by Tussing.

Another birds of prey show took place Saturday at the KCCR/JACK FM Farm, Home and Sports Show at the Ramkota RiverCentre in Pierre.