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SPRING 2021 SEASON AVIAN ADVENTURES
Sponsored by Charlotte Water

All episodes premiere on Mondays at 3 pm and then remain available for streaming on our YouTube Channel. Subscribe and get weekly reminders of upcoming episodes.

Go to https://www.youtube.com/c/CarolinaRaptorCenter/ and don't miss a thing.

April 5th, 3 pm
Episode 1: What is a raptor? 

Explore the new definition of "raptor" in the first episode of Avian Adventures. Learn who is in and who is out and why it is important. 

AFTER THE EPISODE
In recent years, scientists have come up with a better way of classifying raptors and birds of prey to decrease the confusion. Explore more about the new definition with the Peregrine Fund. READ MORE

Want to read the full scientific paper? You can do so at Bioone. READ MORE 

April 12th, 3 pm
Episode 2: How do owls fly silently?

In this episode, learn about silent flight and how owls have adapted to be silent ninjas! 

AFTER THE EPISODE
Feathers are fascinating and completely unique to birds. Explore the topic and try a quick experiment at home with this STEM Adventure Sheet. READ MORE

Did you know the US Fish and Wildlife Service have an image database dedicated to the identification and study of the flight feathers of North American birds? It's called The Feather Atlas. You can browse, search, and learn to identify feathers in this amazing resource. READ MORE 

April 19th, 3 pm
Episode 3: How do injured birds get to the hospital?

When a bird becomes injured, how does it get to Carolina Raptor Center? Once in the hospital, what happens to the bird? When it is healed, where does it go? All these questions and more are answered in this episode!

AFTER THE EPISODE
Everyone loves baby birds but isn’t sure what to do when they encounter them in the wild. Learn more with this STEM Adventure Sheet. READ MORE

Did you know the Carolina Raptor Center has an online database for all of its raptor patients? Check out our system, Raptor Med, and see what patients are currently receiving treatment in our care. READ MORE 

April 26, 3 pm
Episode 4: Why is clean water so important?

Since nothing can survive without water, find out it take to keep our creeks, rivers and lakes clean for the health of wildlife, native plants, fish and the humans that live here! 

AFTER THE EPISODE

Drinking water is essential to life, and drinking more water is a simple way to improve health. The I Heart Water initiative goal is to lower the County’s rates of chronic disease & obesity by encouraging residents to adopt water as their go-to drink for life, work and play. READ MORE

Charlotte Water is the largest public water and wastewater utility in the Carolinas and has been serving the greater Charlotte-Mecklenburg county since 1889. Their blog serves as a source to keep up-to-date with all the great things Charlotte Water does! READ MORE

WeTap makes the public water fountain easy to find – and helps add new ones to the public data base. Valuing tap water – both the quality and access – is an important step to ensure our water remains safe, tasty, and protected. READ MORE

May 3, 3 pm
Eco-concious Celebrations: EarthOptimismCLT 2021

Celebrate Earth Day with a healthy serving of hope and optimism. Join us for this episode of Avian Adventures and leave with hope for the planet and inspiration to take up solutions for your community. 

AFTER THE EPISODE

Check out these fun ideas from the Party Kit Network on how to decorate your party in an eco-friendly fashion! READ MORE

The Balloons Blow website has some great alternatives to balloon releases. To avoid unintentionally littering with balloons, you can instead have fun, celebrate, and remember with environmentally-friendly alternatives. READ MORE

May 10, 3 pm
Episode 5: Why don't resident birds fly away?

To the audience members of our Wings of Wonder bird show, it appears as though the birds fly exactly where they’re supposed to, every time!  During this episode of Avian Adventures, we’ll answer one of the most popular questions we get at the end of a show- “Why don’t the birds fly away?” 

AFTER THE EPISODE

Learn why zoos train animals and what constitutes a good training program at the Why Animals Do The Thing website. READ MORE

We believe that learning by doing is the best way to learn. If you are interested in learning the mechanics of how to shape animal behavior then try your hand at playing The Training Game designed by Karen Pryor, an animal training expert. READ MORE

Carolina Raptor Center is now offering online seminars for professionals who work alongside raptor ambassadors. The classes within each seminar are designed to provide the participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to improve the welfare of their raptor ambassadors through training, husbandry, and medical care. READ MORE

May 17, 3 pm
Episode 6: Why do birds call?

Birds make all sorts of different kinds of noises when they call. What do they mean and what can we learn from them? On this episode of Avian Adventures, we will "hear" from birds from all over the world.

AFTER THE EPISODE 

Get some great tips from The Cornell Lab on how to learn bird songs and calls. Learn bird calls and open a new window on your birding skills on the All About Birds website. READ MORE

Looking for an app so you can identify bird songs on the go? Try Song Sleuth, a fun and easy way to learn birding by ear. READ MORE

May 24, 3 pm
Episode 7: What does it take to leave the nest?

In this episode, we’ll take a close look at baby birds to learn how they grow and how humans can help along the way! 

AFTER THE EPISODE

Everyone loves baby birds but isn’t sure what to do when they encounter them in the wild. Learn more with this STEM Adventure Sheet. READ MORE

Adding an owl nesting box to your backyard will benefit native birds and it will give you a chance to watch and enjoy them too. Use the plans provided on our website to build your own! READ MORE

May 31, 3 pm
Episode 8: How does camouflage work?

Feathers provide so many services to raptors and other birds. During this episode, we explore one of the most important jobs of feathers: camouflage! 

AFTER THE EPISODE

Gather your family and friends to play the Thicket Game, created by Project Wild and provided by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. You’ll quickly learn why camouflage is so important in this predator/prey version of Hide ‘n Seek. READ MORE

Explore more about what feathers are they made of and what they are used for in this STEM Adventure Sheet. READ MORE

June 7, 3 pm
Episode 9: What happens in a day in the life at the hospital?

Over the years the Carolina Raptor Center has grown into one of the largest raptor rehab centers in the country. Find out in this episode what a day at our Raptor Hospital looks like behind the scenes. 

AFTER THE EPISODE

Check out our online database, Raptor Med, and see what raptor patients are currently receiving treatment in our care. READ MORE 

Curious about what to do if you encounter an injured raptor? Learn more on our “How to Rescue a Raptor” webpage. READ MORE

Want to become directly involved in helping injured raptors at Carolina Raptor Center? Join our Raptor Rescue Team! Raptor Rescuers respond to calls about injured raptors. They are trained to retrieve the bird, secure it safely, and transport it to the CRC Medical Facility. READ MORE

June 14, 3 pm
Episode 10: How do vultures stay clean?

Vultures are often referred to as nature’s cleanup crew. Because of what they eat many people assume vultures are dirty animals. But that’s not the case at all! Vultures have some pretty cool ways to clean themselves after eating a meal. This episode addresses how vultures stay clean! 

AFTER THE EPISODE

Vultures face serious conservation challenges in other parts of the world. The Raptor Center supports the Peregrine Fund, which works to make changes to help these amazing birds. READ MORE

Did you know that Turkey Vultures have an incredible sense of smell? Find out more in this STEM Adventure Sheet. READ MORE 

June 21, 3 pm
Episode 11: What do raptors hunt?

Have you ever wondered what types of prey different raptors like to eat and how they hunt them? Not only will we address this question on episode 11 of Avian Adventures, but we will also put you at ease by assuring you that your pets are not raptor’s targets of prey.

AFTER THE EPISODE

Find out more about what exact animals each raptor eats, how much they consume, and how they hunt. READ MORE

Compare your speed to a falcon striking its prey! Calculate how fast you can run in miles per hour with this STEM Adventure Sheet. READ MORE

June 28, 3 pm
Episode 12: Are owls actually wise?

Many people believe owls are very wise animals, after all, that has been their reputation for thousands of years. This episode of Avian Adventures covers what makes owls so special and if they truly live up to their “all-knowing” reputation.

AFTER THE EPISODE

Owls have made a multitude of adaptations throughout time. The unique anatomy of owls allows for these adaptations that not only help them survive but thrive. READ MORE

One of the most amazing aspects of owls is their vision. Learn how to “see like an owl” with this STEM Adventure Sheet. READ MORE

July 5, 3 pm (Season finale)
Episode 13: Which hawk is in my backyard?

Do you want to know what kind of raptor is in your backyard? This episode of Avian Adventures gives you key components for the most common raptors that could be around you.

AFTER THE EPISODE

Explore more factors that will help you identify the types of raptors in your area. READ MORE

Want a convenient tool on your phone to help you name the raptors in your vicinity? Try the app Raptor ID which comes with many resources to help with this process. READ MORE