Approximately 80 community members of all ages attended an educational program, All About Owls, at the Media Community Center on Sunday, February 25. The program was a joint effort by the Media, Nether Providence, Springfield, and Swarthmore Bird Town chapters, and the Springfield Conservation Committee. The featured speaker, educator Marcy Engleman from the John James Audubon Center, presented numerous facts about owl biology. Program attendees learned:
- Owls can fly silently thanks to specially adapted wing feathers;
- They cannot move their eyes in their sockets, but can swivel their heads nearly 270 degrees in order to see around them; and
- The Great Horned Owl, one of North America’s largest owls and one that is frequently heard locally, has a grip strength of around 200 pounds per square inch—nearly five times stronger than most humans!
Marcy was accompanied by Abby, a female Eastern Screech Owl who stole the show with her calm demeanor that allowed the audience a rare chance to view an owl up close. Abby is one of the Center’s bird ambassadors: non-releasable wild birds that have been trained to help educate people about their natural history and the issues facing birds today.
In addition to Marcy and Abby, volunteers from Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research were present to provide information on how to help injured wild birds. Furthermore, audience members learned how to support birds at home with habitat improvement tips from Bird Town volunteers.
Find additional info here. They were also invited to take home bird-safe mosquito “dunk” kits, donated by Snyder’s Ace Hardware in Aston, as a good way to manage mosquito populations without resorting to pesticides.
Bird Town is a statewide program which recognizes municipalities for their commitment to stewardship. Media is one of 50 chapters in PA. The Borough’s Bird Town program is part of the ongoing work of the Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) to increase green living, promote a culture of conservation, and provide positive social, economic, and ecological outcomes consistent with Media’s designation as Everybody’s Home Ecosystem.
Bird Town Media is collaborating with Bird Town Pennsylvania, neighboring Bird Town chapters, and the Valley Forge Chapter of the Audubon Society. Together, they’re helping Borough residents get to know and love the birds of their backyard through community events and workshops. Find more information on Bird Town or creating a backyard habitat at www.birdtownpa.org.
Indicated photos by: Emma Medina-Castrejon
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