Branson, Missouri has long been considered the “Nashville of the West” because of all of the music shows it sports.
Music isn't the only thing happening at Silver Dollar City this fall - Photo by Jena Baumgarten
A drive down Route 76 in Southern MO would help anyone understand. Names like Andy Williams and Dolly Parton flash in big, bright lights from the tops of their theaters. Branson also has one of the country’s premier theme parks--Silver Dollar City. Silver Dollar City has one of the country’s premier bird shows produced and casted by the World Bird Sanctuary. We call the show “Birds of Prey in Flight,” and to say the least, it is aptly named.
The beautiful Echo Hollow Theater at Silver Dollar City - Photo by Jena Baumgarten
To begin with, the theater the birds perform in, Echo Hollow Theater, is one of the biggest and steepest theaters in which we have ever presented a bird show. You can ask the trainers for the show, Leah Tyndall, Lindsay Focht, Leah Sainz and Dana Lambert, about how many stairs they must climb and descend before, during and after each show. By the end of the show they all look forward to having ripped bodies and thighs of steel.
Tsavo the Bateleur Eagle takes off for the long flight down to the stage - Photo by Jena Baumgarten
Many of the birds fly from the very top of the theater to the stage, and in order to do this they fold their wings into their sides and attain speeds that will defy your logic, yet they nimbly slow in time to lightly touch down on trainer’s gloves or stage perches.
Hunter, our Eurasian Eagle Owl is a big bird, having about a 5-foot wingspan. He flies from as high in the theater as you can get. He folds in his wings and becomes an air force missile as he heads for the speaker’s glove. His and all the birds’ flights around the theater will take your breath away!
Norbert the Bald Eagle lands at the top of the amphitheater after one of his flights- photo by Jena Baumgarten
The show also has spectacular flights by Wagner, the Red-tailed Hawk, Marshmallow, the European Barn Owl, Trinidad and Carmen, our Military Macaws, Jack, the Harris Hawk, Vader, the Black Vulture, Tsavo our Bateleur Eagle, and Norbert our Bald Eagle, all of whom fly 6 flights for every show.
There goes Norbert again thrilling the crowd - photo by Jena Baumgarten
As Assistant Director of the World Bird Sanctuary I have been working in and producing bird shows for WBS for 26 years. In that time I have been part of thousands of shows in 29 different zoos, theme parks and aquariums around the nation. I can say without a doubt the best flights I have ever seen in any bird show are going on right now at Silver Dollar City.
Norbert accepts applause from the crowd after six thrilling flights - photo by Jena Baumgarten
The park is open Wednesdays through Sundays from now through 29 October. WBS presents 3 shows a day at 11:00, 1:00 and 3:00, weather permitting. Branson is just 4 hours from St. Louis.
Come on down and see us!
No comments:
Post a Comment