Education
We offer education opportunities for a wide range of ages, knowledge, and backgrounds. We have presented our birds at large conventions such as the Chicago Fish and Sports show all the way down to more personalized experiences for boy and girl scout troops. We also visit schools! We normally ask for a tax-deductible honorarium for each raptor we bring to a program. Our organization is run entirely by volunteers so all money goes directly to the well-being of our birds. At an educational program, you will learn about various fascinating aspects of raptors like their unique characteristics, ecology, and environmental impact. If you’re interested in scheduling a program, please contact info@wingsandtalons.org.
Volunteer Training
The class will take place once a week. The average session will include education on bird behavior, nutrition, housing, handling, etc. and hands-on activities such as cleaning of enclosures, food preparation, and eventually bird handling instruction. The class will end with an assessment covering the knowledge that you have gained. There will be a fee for the class in order to cover your training and education. We encourage potential students to spend a day with us before starting the class. Our trainers will be donating their free time and resources in order to instruct the class, so we ask that students experience the raptor center before hand so that we can ensure the commitment makes sense for everyone. The class will last approximately 10 weeks depending on schedules. Please reach out to info@wingsandtalons.org for more information.