No, not Australia--the Education Training Center (ETC).
The ETC is the behind the scenes valley area of the World Bird Sanctuary where many of our birds spend the winter months between show seasons. It is also where our cold sensitive birds spend the winter months in heated quarters.
ETC interior enclosures where cold sensitive birds spend the winter months
The past month of September has been very busy with the comings and goings of our birds and staff. To begin, since the visitor information center (VIC) and the area it is in was under construction for most of the summer, all birds that were normally housed there were kept at WBS’s Education Training Center (ETC). On Saturday, 4 September, those birds were finally moved back to the VIC. But the ‘calm’ and ‘quiet’ that this provided didn’t last long because within 4 days the summer bird show from Milwaukee returned with all the supplies, birds, and 2 staff members.
The show staff had left in early May with 23 birds to prepare for the show at the Milwaukee County Zoo. The summer was busy with 23 birds, 4 staff, a script to memorize and a lot of new behaviors to train before shows started on Memorial Day Weekend.
Riley has perfected the art of looking cute--so on to bigger and better things
Some of the biggest challenges for the staff included many rookie birds. Riley (American Barn Owl) spent the previous summer getting socialized to the crowds as a beginner and just being cute. This year he was required to be cute as he flew over the audience.
Hoss trying to match Riley's cutness factor
Hoss (Eurasian Eagle Owl) assumed Riley’s role from the previous year, learning how to stand on the glove and getting socialized in front of our audiences. Mesquite (Harris Hawk) was going through accelerated learning. He spent a couple of weeks in the spring being trained to sit comfortably on the glove. For the show in Milwaukee he was flying to perches, and even some without a trainer to cue him there!
With Tsavo, our Bateleur Eagle, it's not all about being cute--his role is about being impressive!
Tsavo (Bateleur Eagle) spent the previous summer as a glove or display bird at Grant’s Farm. According to his file before he migrated to the Sanctuary, he had flown at shows but this was his first time flying at a sanctuary show. Now was the time to see what he could do. After passing all tests, he cruised into the theater and into the bleachers and right over the crowd awing them with his bright red face and feet.
Many birds have gone to shows before, but they still had to learn their patterns for this show (and we did too!) Some behaviors were tweaked or added to.
Black - Our little chicken hawk impersonator
Our chickens have always been the ‘fowl’ part of the show, but Black showed a lot of promise in an interactive part of the show with a young victim… I mean volunteer. Guests had the opportunity to be a perch for Black, our “chicken hawk” impersonator.
Rio, part of our triple Macaw Madness, wowing an audience
Our flocking Military Macaws (Carmen and Trinidad) found themselves with an additional macaw flying in the theater. While the green blurs passed outside the theater, buzzing by bystanders on the paths, Rio (Green Winged Macaw) flew a couple of loops right over audience heads, providing many with new hair dos! This part of the show was lovingly referred to as Triple Macaw Madness.
Millwaukee pre show talk at the weathering area
So, in the end, we presented more than 325 shows, performing seven days a week from Memorial weekend to Labor Day, and educated more than 31,000 guests!! I mention “more than” because before shows even started for the day, we spoke to zoo guests about the raptors that were in our weathering area in the morning.
Milwaukee Zoo Show guests taking photos and having questions answered before the show
At the end of the show we asked guests to fill out a survey. A quarter of the guests surveyed enjoyed the bald eagle the best, followed closely by the Triple Macaw Madness and the parrots that sounded like people. Guests gave many accolades including a few of my favorites. “Very informative and entertaining. Nicely Done.” Another guest said “We are the best part of the zoo!” Another visitor remarked “Fun and entertaining for both children and adults.” And my favorite one of all “The best show in 20 years!”
Outside Weathering Area at lower site where our zoo show birds spend their winter vacation
All the birds have since settled in from the summer and are ready for the ‘relaxing’ winter to come, where they get breakfast in bed, sight- seeing opportunities, views of the local wildlife, and room service to their mews (winter hotel room.)
Also, Grants Farm has slowed down but you may still see several of our raptors in the show Fridays thru Sundays. Hunter (Eurasian Eagle Owl) and Richie (Harris Hawk extraordinaire) fly in the Animal encounter programs that occur 3-4 times a day. Several other birds might also be spotted, including Carmelita (Great Horned Owl veteran), Shadow (Bateleur Eagle) and Sanibel (Bald Eagle).
If this was September, lets hope October slows down a little and cools off.
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