The Draper Museum Raptor Experience is an exciting live raptor education program at the Draper Natural History Museum in Cody, Wyoming. The Draper is one of five museums at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, which embraces the Spirit of the American West. What better way to celebrate the wildness of this wonderful area than by sharing some of its most spectacular wild animals with our guests. Visitors to the Center have the unique opportunity to get an up close and personal view of some of Wyoming’s most recognized predators – the birds of prey!
Finding Unseen Carrion In 1979, David Houston did a study on the efficiency of Turkey Vultures finding carrion by smell. The study was conducted in the tropical forests of Barro Colorado Island, Panama. Setting out dead chickens from fresh to four days old, he discovered that Turkey Vultures within tropical forests rely almost exclusively on […]
Click here to read part 1 When thinking of bird migration, many people think of flocks of geese moving in their typical “V” formation. It’s not always picture-perfect, however. As I stated in The Basics of Bird Migration Part I-Knowing When, Grouping, and How They Prepare, migratory travels can be one of the most dangerous […]
Migration can be one of the most dangerous times in a bird’s life, yet it is intended to improve their long term survival rate. The need to leave areas of diminishing food sources coupled with the need for suitable habitat for nesting spurs them on. There are short and long distance travelers. Some species may […]
I am a poster child for the wonders of educational outreach programs. My life was completely changed during an hour-long Birds of Prey program, very similar to those presented here at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Even though I don’t remember much of what was taught that day, I can remember watching in […]
In early Spring through the beginning of summer many birds are either incubating eggs or busy feeding hungry hatchlings. During this time, breeding birds use a variety of methods to protect their eggs, chicks, and nesting territories. Consequently, you may observe them fearlessly confronting animals larger than themselves in an effort to ward off predators. […]
Cooperative breeding, also called communal breeding, occurs in about 3% of the world’s bird species. This happens when more than two birds of the same species work together in rearing the young from one nest. There are two types of helpers: adult non-breeders that help to protect and rear the young, but are not related, […]