Xtreme Raptor Day to highlight birds of prey, educate public

 

BAYSIDE, Wis. (CBS58) -- You can get up close and personal with birds of prey during Extreme Raptor Day at the Schlitz Audobon Nature Center this Saturday, Nov. 5.

The annual festival celebrates the hunters of the sky and will be held outdoors on the nature center trails, rain or shine.

"There will be educational stations that are very fun, where people are going to be able to learn about vultures, about migration," Raptor Program Director Lindsay Obermeier said.

From making vulture vomit as a way to teach the defensive mechanism of certain birds, to the opportunity to take a selfie with a bald eagle, there will be a full schedule of fun.

All proceeds from the event go to the continued care of the 15 raptors at the site. It also serves as an opportunity for the public to get more insight into the role raptors play in our ecosystem.

"They go out into the public and they make those personal connections, people are able to see a barred owl up close, which is an experience they can't find anywhere else," Obermeier said.

"It inspires awareness and more curiosity for the natural world...We can teach people about why it's important to take care of our habitats, why these birds are important to make sure we conserve them and protect them out in the wild."

Participants will receive a raptor passport that outlines the day's activities and a raptor pin as a thank you for supporting the center.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for those 3-17 years old. Children under two are free. The morning session is sold out, but you can purchase tickets for the afternoon session on the Schlitz Audubon website.

If you cannot make it in person, there is a virtual auction happening through 8 p.m. on Sunday.

You can bid on action items here: Xtreme Raptor Auction.