Open House This Weekend!

Open House is finally here!

Join us in our amphitheater as Bald Eagles soar just above your head (photo: Gay Schroer)

Every year the World Bird Sanctuary celebrates its mission with you at our annual Open House.  We share what we do to fulfill our mission and give you, our public guests, an all-access pass to behind-the-scenes areas to find out who we are and how we achieve our success.

Our Open House this year is bittersweet.  As we celebrate all that is World Bird Sanctuary—we will also be reflecting on the man who made it all possible.  Our 2015 Open House is dedicated to celebrating the legacy of our Founder, Walter Crawford, Jr., who passed away earlier this year.  We hope that you will join us for this special event.

Come join us for these fun and FREE special activities:

°            Behind-the-scenes guided tours of our breeding barn, animal behavioral training center (the ETC), and the wildlife hospital.  Open House is your only opportunity to see these special areas, as they are closed to the public for the rest of the year.

Enjoy our Red-legged Seriema's "slamming" skills (Photo: Gay Schroer)

°            Enjoy FREE shows presented in our amphitheater three times daily featuring live raptors flying just overhead, including:, Bald Eagles, Harris’ Hawks, Barn Owls, Bateleur Eagles, Red-legged Seriemas, Turkey Vultures, Eurasian Eagle Owls, as well as appearances by the other North American eagle—Kili the Golden Eagle.  Let Mischief the White-necked Raven teach you how to recycle, and meet a number of our other raptors.

°            Free concerts by our in-house band, The Raptor Project

Have your photo taken while holding a live raptor on your glove (Photo: Gay Schroer)

°            Photo opportunity – For a small fee have your photograph taken while holding a live raptor!

°            St. Louis Sprout & About Activity Center for kids, and other special kids’ programs featuring live animals! 

°            Whole Foods Market Prize Wheel! 

°            Renewal by Anderson fun photo booth and facepainting! 

°            Be sure to catch the bus to the “Lower Site” where you will meet special birds in our endangered species breeding program, and our animal behavior and training center (the ETC).  The bus picks up and drops off at our main entrance every 15 minutes.

Here’s what you need to know:

°            When – Saturday 17^th and Sunday 18th October, 2015

°            Time – 10:00am – 4:00 pm

°            Admission and Parking – FREE

°            Adults & kids’ activities – FREE

Open House 2015 is sponsored by:  

We hope to see you this weekend.  For directions to our site Click Here 

For the safety of our animals and the other guests, no pets please.

World Eagle Day 2015

It’s finally here!

Are you tired of winter?  Ready to get outdoors?  Suffering from LDS (Light deficiency syndrome)? Cabin fever?  Well the World Bird Sanctuary has just what the doctor ordered—a chance to get out of the house into the fresh air and enjoy one of the area’s most popular Spring events—WORLD EAGLE DAY!!

See Clark, one of our team of free flying eagles, soar right over your head (photo: Gay Schroer)

COME CELEBRATE SPRING WITH US WHILE THE WORLD BIRD SANCTUARY’S FREE FLYING EAGLES SOAR OVER YOUR HEADS!

On Sunday, March 29, The World Bird Sanctuary will celebrate World Eagle Day.  In addition to our national symbol, the Bald Eagle, this is your opportunity to see a number of other species of Eagles from around the world!  

Mark your calendars—World Eagle Day is March 29, 10:00 to 4:00!!

Our naturalists will be glad to answer questions or give you an up close photo opportunity (photo: Sandra Lowe)

World Eagle Day is one of our most popular events.  It’s a chance for everyone to get out of the house after a long cold winter and enjoy the outdoors with us.  Be prepared to celebrate everything Eagle—from close-up encounters with eagles from around the world to having an eagle soar overhead--close enough to feel the draft from its wing beats.

Kids of all ages can have their faces painted (photo: Sandra Lowe)

There will be face painting, crafts for the kids, flight demonstrations by our free flying eagles, the opportunity to have your photo taken with a Bald Eagle, and much more.  Our gift shop will have special eagle-related merchandise for those wanting souvenirs.

Have your photo taken with a live eagle for a small fee (photo: Gay Schroer)

As a special treat this year members of SIA: The Comanche Nation Ethno-Ornithological Institute, will discuss the unique importance of eagles to Comanche culture.

So, mark your calendars. 

WHEN?   March 29

TIME?      10 AM to 4 PM

NEED DIRECTIONS?  Click Here  

Be sure to bring your camera (photo: Sandra Lowe)

Be prepared to spend the day with us learning about these magnificent creatures.  Bring a picnic lunch, or take advantage of food and beverages from our food truck.  Bring your cameras and take photos of the kids in our simulated eagle’s nest.

You may be lucky enough to see one of our birds take a refreshing bath (photo: Sandra Lowe)

Dress for the weather and be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes as there is much to see, and most of the events will be outdoors.

As always, admission and parking are FREE!

For the safety of our birds and our other guests, please no pets.

Submitted by Gay Schroer, World Bird Sanctuary Volunteer/Photographer

OPEN HOUSE 2014

 Fall is in the air and people's thoughts are turning to fall activities—street festivals, apple picking, trips to the pumpkin farm and, of course, everybody’s favorite two-day free event….the World Bird Sanctuary Open House!

Open House is this coming Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19, from 10 am to 4 pm. 

One of WBS's free flying Bald Eagles soars just inches overhead (photo: Gay Schroer)

Activities at this year’s Open House will include programs featuring a majestic flying Bald Eagle, as well as a number of other birds who are seasoned performers in the World Bird Sanctuary’s repertoire of educational programs.  Prepare to be amazed as these ambassadors of the sky fly just above your head. 

WBS Eagle mascot,our Dancing DoDo and kids rock out to the music of the Raptor Project (photo: Gay Schroer)

In addition to the free flight exhibitions there will be entertainment by the Sanctuary’s in-house band, the Raptor Project, which will entertain audiences with old favorites, as well as new songs that have been added to their repertoire this year.

A young guest proudly displays what she made at the craft table (photo: Gay Schroer)

Other activities will include presentations by the Butterfly house, face painting, a craft station and other activities for the kids.  There will also be tours of the hospital, the behind the scenes breeding barn and the behavioral training center, which are usually not open to the public.

A guest gets a really close look at an Augur Buzzard at the photo op (photo: Gay Schroer)

For a small fee guests will have the opportunity to have their photo taken posing next to one of our raptors.  Featured birds this year will be Tundra, a beautiful Snowy Owl, and Max the Tawny Eagle.  Since these two birds are new to the photo op area their time may be limited, so you may want to make the photo op your first stop.  In addition to our two newcomers, we have several old pros on standby for photos.

Also with us for the first time this year will be the cool Eagle Harley motorcycle, presented by owner Tom “The Kong” Compton.  Those of you who are bike riders will want to be sure to check out this beauty.

Our naturalists are always happy to answer questions (photo: Gay Schroer)

The main paths in our upper triangle area are paved and handicapped accessible, and restrooms are located conveniently nearby.  Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes, as you will want to explore all the attractions and activities that will be spread out throughout our site.

For those more adventurous souls we have several hiking trails that wind through our oak/hickory forest.  These paths are natural and unpaved.

There are photo opportunities at every turn (photo: Sandra Lowe)

Bring a picnic lunch or take advantage of our concession truck.  Be sure to bring your cameras, as there will be photo opportunities at every turn.  

So, mark your calendars! ….Save the date

Saturday, October 18

Sunday, October 19

10 am – 4 pm

Admission and parking are free!

For directions to our site Click Here.

As always….for the safety of our animals—and our other guests--no pets please.