Tag Archives: Center for Birds of Prey

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Burrowing Owl, Center For Birds of Prey, 1

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New to the educational  program at the Center for Birds of Prey since the last time I was there was a Burrowing Owl.

A small fake burrow has been set up at the flight demo area where this female zipped through the tunnels a few times.

Burrowing Owl Demonstration Mound
Burrowing Owl Demonstration Mound

At about 5 ounces (150g) these owls are small and fast, both in the air and running.

Burrowing Owl, Running
Burrowing Owl, Running

Like all of the demonstration birds in this program, the owl was sporting a radio transmitter in case of “unauthorized absence.”

Burrowing Owl, Perched
Burrowing Owl, Perched

She is also trained to perch on the handler’s glove, where you can see the relative size of this little owl.

Burrowing Owl, On Handler's Glove
Burrowing Owl, On Handler’s Glove

The Center for Birds of Prey,  Awenda, SC
June 24, 2021

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Yellow-billed Kite: On the Ground

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As part of the Yellow-billed Kite flying demonstration the handler tosses pieces of raw meat into the air to simulate a bug and the Kite catches them on the fly. I didn’t get a decent picture of that action, but in the sequence below the bird missed and immediately dropped to the ground to find the food.

Yellow-billed Kite:
Yellow-billed Kite – click image zoom in and you’ll see the meat in the bird’s mouth

The demonstration field was covered in little yellow flowers, a pretty background for this brown bird.

Yellow-billed Kite:
Yellow-billed Kite

He sauntered around a bit for taking to the sky again.

Yellow-billed Kite:
Yellow-billed Kite

Yellow-billed Kite, Milvus aegyptius

Ted, TPJ Photo, captured some nice images of the mid-air feeding  and the Kite taking food from the handler on the fly.

The Center for Birds of Prey offers photographers an opportunity to take close-up photographs of owls and other birds of prey a few times a year.

The Center for Birds of Prey, Photography Day, April 22, 2018,  Awenda, SC.

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Yellow-billed Kite: In the Air

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After his posing session at the Center for Birds of Prey Photography Day this Yellow-billed Kite had an opportunity to fly.

Yellow-billed Kite Flying
Yellow-billed Kite Flying with radio transmitter attached

Kites catch thier prey, mostly insects, by snatching from the air with their feet. This requires a lot of swooping and circling to get higher off the ground.

Yellow-billed Kite Flying
Yellow-billed Kite Flying

The Center’s birds are fed and according to the handler will not seek out food during flying demonstrations, returning to the handler for the reward of food. This particular Kite seemed to enjoy his time in the air, circling around the demonstration field over the row of photographers several times.

Yellow-billed Kite Flying
Yellow-billed Kite Flying

Yellow-billed Kite, Milvus aegyptius

The Center for Birds of Prey offers photographers an opportunity to take close-up photographs of owls and other birds of prey a few times a year.

The Center for Birds of Prey, Photography Day, April 22, 2018,  Awenda, SC.

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Yellow-billed Kite: Posing

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First, I need to give a shake.

Yellow-billed Kite
Yellow-billed Kite

Then, get my feathers settled.

Yellow-billed Kite
Yellow-billed Kite

Now I’m ready, wings stretched out, go ahead and take that photo!

Yellow-billed Kite
Yellow-billed Kite

Yellow-billed Kite, Milvus aegyptius

The Center for Birds of Prey offers photographers an opportunity to take close-up photographs of owls and other birds of prey a few times a year.

The Center for Birds of Prey, Photography Day, April 22, 2018,  Awenda, SC.

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Eurasian Eagle Owl Close Up

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With a six and one half foot (two meter) wing span the Eurasian Eagle Owl is the largest owl in the world. Orange eyes and luxurious feathers make them quite distinctive, not to mention those big ear tufts.

Eurasian Eagle Owl
Eurasian Eagle Owl

Found throughout Europe and Asia, they can weigh up to six pounds (2.75 KG).

Eurasian Eagle Owl
Eurasian Eagle Owl

The stare was quite intense!

Eurasian Eagle Owl
Eurasian Eagle Owl

Eurasian Eagle-owl, Bubo bubo

The Center for Birds of Prey offers photographers an opportunity to take close-up photographs of owls and other birds of prey a few times a year.

The Center for Birds of Prey, Photography Day, April 22, 2018,  Awenda, SC.

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American Kestrel

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The American Kestrel is the smallest North American falcon, and also the most colorful.

American Kestrel
American Kestrel

The pairs of black vertical slashes on the sides of their faces give them a distinctive look along with what appeared to me as “eyes in the back of their head” as he swiveled around.

American Kestrel
American Kestrel

Here he is settling himself after “rousing”, a shaking action that lifts all the feathers.

American Kestrel
American Kestrel

American Kestrel, Falco sparverius

The Center for Birds of Prey offers photographers an opportunity to take close-up photographs of owls and other birds of prey a few times a year.

The Center for Birds of Prey, Photography Day, April 22, 2018,  Awenda, SC.

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Eurasian Kestrel

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The Eurasian Kestrel is  widespread in Europe, Asia, and Africa. They are small compared with other birds of prey, but larger than most songbirds. The females are slightly larger then the male, weighing in at 6.5 ounces (184 grams) on average.

Eurasian Kestrel
Female Eurasian Kestrel perched on handler’s glove

In the full side view shows off the brown and black coloration of the wings, useful as camouflage.

Eurasian Kestrel
Female Eurasian Kestrel

The sun was warming us up after a chilly start and the Kestrel seemed quite content to puff up a bit and enjoy the sun.

Eurasian Kestrel
Female Eurasian Kestrel

Eurasian Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus

The Center for Birds of Prey offers photographers an opportunity to take close-up photographs of owls and other birds of prey a few times a year.

The Center for Birds of Prey, Photography Day, April 22, 2018,  Awenda, SC.

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Harris’ Hawk

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The Harris’s Hawk can be found in the southwestern United States,  through arid regions of Central America and South America. They are one of a few birds of prey known to hunt cooperatively.

Harris’s Hawk
Harris’s Hawk – Sony Alpha 6500, Sony 55-210 MM lens

This Harris’s Hawk was one of the birds that flew as part of the photography day presentation. It was fascinating to watch but my images weren’t great. I’ve included this one to show his beautiful brown and red colors.

Harris’s Hawk
Harris’s Hawk

I had much better in flight shots when I participated in this event in November, 2016.

Harris’s Hawk,  Parabuteo unicinctus

The Center for Birds of Prey offers photographers an opportunity to take close-up photographs of owls and other birds of prey a few times a year.

The Center for Birds of Prey, Photography Day, April 22, 2018,  Awenda, SC.

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Ural Owl

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The Ural Owl is a medium-sized nocturnal owl found in Europe and northern Asia. They are in the same genus, Strix, as the locally more familiar Barred Owl.

Ural Owl
Ural Owl

The close ups below were taken with the Sony Alpha 6500, Sony 55-210 mm lens.

Ural Owl
Ural Owl

The ridge of feathers at the edge of the face create a disc, which works to trap and focus sound.

Ural Owl
Ural Owl

Ural Owl, Strix uralensis

The Center for Birds of Prey offers photographers an opportunity to take close-up photographs of owls and other birds of prey a few times a year.

The Center for Birds of Prey, Photography Day, April 22, 2018,  Awenda, SC.