This Weekend Was For The Birds
by John Weckerle
Or, perhaps more accurately, part of this weekend was about the birds. Saturday morning, my mother-in-law and I attended the first half of Wildlife West Nature Park’s bird of prey handling class. Normally held on a single day, the class was split into two Saturday sessions this year due to scheduling imperatives. This year, the class’s first session was held by master falconer Tom Smylie of The Peregrine Fund. A class of about 22 people learned the basics of raptor identification, their position within their ecosystems, and the reasons for such attributes as wing structure, tail length, and other physical attributes that make birds of prey suited to their environment and their way of life.
We also learned a few interesting tidbits about birds in general, including:
- Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly backwards.
- Only two species of bird have been confirmed to have a sense of smell. One is the kiwi, and the other is our very own turkey vulture. Some question has been raised about the black vulture, but thus far no one appears to provided conclusive evidence to support the claim. Feel free, therefore, to pick baby birds up and put them back into the nest; their parents will not “smell you on them.”
- Peregrine falcons, the fastest animals on earth, have specially evolved “nostrils” that allow them to breathe at the incredible speeds they experience on a day-to-day basis. According to Mr. Smylie, recent research apparently indicates that these birds may be capable of traveling at speeds in excess of 300 mph, and may routinely endure forces of 25 G (25 times the force of gravity) when pulling up out of a dive.
This was a great time and appropriate for people of all ages. Wildlife West offers the class once a year on a regular basis, and also any time 20 or more people are interested in attending. The cost is only $20 per attendee, and includes a binder full of interesting information on birds of prey. Scout troops, 4H organizations, schools, senior centers, and others should consider what an excellent experience this class will provide for an incredibly reasonable price. For more information, visit the Park web site or contact them at (505) 281-7655 or toll-free at (877) 981-9453.