Black Hills Raptor Center puts focus on another important bird of prey with upcoming Superb Owl party

February 9, 2023

Christina Holiday,

RAPID CITY, S.D.– As Arizona gets ready to host the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles for the big game on Sunday, the Black Hills Raptor Center is looking to put the focus on owls for their first-ever Superb Owl Party ahead of Sunday. Executive Director for the Black Hills Raptor Center Maggie Engler explains more about the event.

A Great Horned Owl’s eys
Aldo the Great Horned Owl, an ambassador bird from the Black Hills Raptor Center
A Great Horned Owl looks on from a tree branch near McNenny Fish Hatchery
A Western Screech Owl from the Black Hills Raptor Center
Little Red Riding Hoot, courtesy of the Black Hills Raptor Center
Little Red Riding Hoot and Big Bad Wolf, courtesy of the Black Hills Raptor Center
A volunteer from the Raptor Center with a Western Screech Owl
A Western Screech Owl perched on a volunteer’s hand
An owl skull replica used as a teaching tool by the Black Hills Raptor Center
A crate used to carry birds from the raptor center
Little Red Riding Hoot and Big Bad Wolf, courtesy of the Black Hills Raptor Center
A Western Screech Owl from the Black Hills Raptor Center
A model of a Great Horned Owl’s skull
A Great Horned Owl’s eys
Aldo the Great Horned Owl, an ambassador bird from the Black Hills Raptor Center
A Great Horned Owl looks on from a tree branch near McNenny Fish Hatchery

What is the Black Hills Raptor Center?

The Black Hills Raptor Center is a facility in Western South Dakota dedicated to rehabilitating birds of prey in the area and releasing them back into the wild once recovered. The raptor center also has a group of birds featuring hawks, falcons, and other owl species that serve as avian ambassadors and make appearances at various public events for people to learn about and see in person. “We do, on average, 105 to 110 programs in the region every year with an all-volunteer crew,” Engler said. The Superb Owl event marks the first of its kind, and Engler is hoping that it can continue in future years and add more for people to see and do.

What is the Superb Owl party?

The Superb Owl event, which takes place February 11 at 2:00 p.m. at the Rapid City Public Library, is an event dedicated to educating the public about owls and their importance to the region. Engler says that the raptor center will have activities for kids and families to participate in, including a special owl-based art project. Some of the facility’s avian ambassadors will also be in attendance: two Western Screech Owls named Little Red Riding Hoot and Big Bad Wolf. Engler also revealed that a taxidermied Barn Owl will also be on display in anticipation of a barn owl ambassador coming to the raptor center soon.

“Owls are basically the best living mouse traps in the world. And if we can get people to understand that by welcoming owls, they’re protecting humans from diseases and from animals that would like to eat our food, then I think we will have made a step in the right direction,” Enger said.

Categories: Local News

Tags: birds of prey, Black Hills Raptor Center, Maggie Engler, owls, Rapid City Public Library, Superb Owl 2023, Western Screech Owl, wildlife rehabilitation

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