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Tom Gillespie March 3, 2000 336-879-7202
Popular Birds Of Prey Program Returns To N.C. Zoo

ASHEBORO - "On the Wing," a unique educational program featuring some of the world's most magnificent birds of prey, returns to the North Carolina Zoological Park for its sixth season March 15 through May 15.

The program, designed to educate and entertain, is presented by the World Bird Sanctuary of St. Louis and will emphasize how the birds live in the wild and how their habitats are being affected by humans and other outside forces. About 15 birds will appear in the programs, including a golden eagle, several species of hawks, buzzards, vultures and several owl species - including a Eurasian eagle owl. Also in the program are a hornbill, a scarlet macaw, an African crow and others.

At the end of each program, visitors can ask the trainers questions and view the birds close up. The World Bird Sanctuary is a non-profit organization dedicated to the rehabilitation of injured birds of prey, the breeding of endangered birds of prey and parrot species to stabilize and increase their populations, and to educate the public about these birds.

The organization has received national recognition for introducing endangered peregrine falcons onto large city skyscrapers as a way of re-establishing the severely reduced populations of these birds. "On the Wing" is the only travelling educational program using live animals ever to be presented at the N.C. Zoo.

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