Birds of prey to be displayed at TFFC Saturday, March 31
Rehabilitated birds of prey will star at Outdoor Fools Day

Photo Courtesy of Pierre Bradshaw REHABILITATED -- A redtailed hawk and a great horned owl will be among the birds of prey displayed at Outdoor Fools Day at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center March 31.

Owls, hawks and other raptors, also known as birds of prey, will be the focus of two presentations at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center March 31.

Pierre Bradshaw of On the Wing Again, a non-profit wild bird rehabilitation located in Ferris, Texas, will present a program using live birds including a red-tailed hawk, American kestrel, screech owl, great horned owl, barn owl and black vulture.

"We bring the birds out of their traveling boxes one at a time and discuss their characteristics and habitat and why these particular birds cannot be released back into the wild," Bradshaw said. "The program concludes with a look at our habitat and our interrelationship with the environment."

Birds are not flown as part of the demonstration.

The audience will be able to get a close-up look at the birds during the 12 noon and 3:00 p.m. shows, which will take place in the new ampitheater at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center. Just recently completed, the ampitheater features a stage separated from a grasscovered seating area by a small stream. It is located adjacent to the TFFC casting pond.

Outdoor Fools Day is an annual event designed to encourage family participation in outdoor recreation in East Texas. Members of various division of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, conservation organizations and outdoor-related businesses will provide displays and hands-on activities that teach outdoor skills such as camp cooking, archer, kayaking and fishing.

For complete details on the event, visit http:// www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/ visitorcenters/tffc/.

Outdoor Fools Day is sponsored by KKUS 104.1 FM; Bass Pro Shops/Garland; Bass Pro Shops/Grapevine; First State Bank, Tyler Branch; 1st State Bank of Brownsboro, Athens Branch; and REI/Dallas.

TFFC is located at 5550 FM 2495, Athens, Texas, for other information call 903-676-2277.