CRANFORD, NJ — The Friends of the Cranford Library recently sponsored a program put on by The Raptor Trust about birds of prey. The program was at Cranford Community Center, 220 Walnut Ave.
Kate Seeland, associate director of education at The Raptor Trust, gave the 45-minute presentation to an audience of young children.
The Raptor Trust is a non-profit wild bird rehabilitation center located in Millington. Seeland explained that they help birds, so that they could go back to the wild. They don’t treat penguins or flamingos.
To help the children understand about owls, one of the six types of raptors found in New Jersey, Seeland had the audience “become owls,” pretending to put on their owl hats and stretching their “wings.”
Seeland spoke about owls not being able to move their eyes, but rather rotating their flexible necks. “Owl ears are on the sides of their heads,” she said.
Next, she talked about talons and how they are used to catch food. “Raptors are meat-eating birds, hunting other animals. They have sharp, hooked beaks to take bits out of mice. Moss is a tasty snack,” she said. “Owl feet are covered in feathers. Hawk feet are bare. Owls live in cavities in trees. Owls are nocturnal, staying awake at night.”
After Seeland gave background information, she took out Penny, a screech owl who has been with The Raptor Trust for 12 years. Penny was hit by a car and lost an eye, so she can’t hunt properly.
“Her aim is off with one eye,” Seeland said. “She doesn’t have depth perception. She’s unable to hunt properly. She can still see with the good eye, but only receives half the information with one eye.”
With human care, Seeland explained that an owl can live as long as 15 years; but in the wild, not as long. Owls are all different shapes and sizes. The screech owl is the second smallest owl in New Jersey. In addition to owls, the six types of raptors found in New Jersey include hawks, eagles, falcons, vultures and osprey.
In conclusion, Seeland encouraged the audience that, if they see a bird in need, contact the closest wildlife rehabilitation center.
After the presentation, Liam, 6, said, “I really like to see that some are little, and some are big.”
Kathryn, 7, said she liked the talk about owls and getting to meet Penny.
To learn more about The Raptor Trust, visit: https://theraptortrust.org/.
Photos by Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta