Meet a Raptor

Meet a Raptor is back at the Eagle Creek Park Ornithology Center on Sunday, November 1, from 2:30 to 3:00 PM. It's a short, focused session: a Raptor Ambassador—usually Freyja the Peregrine Falcon—takes center stage for a training demonstration led by a naturalist. If you've never seen a bird of prey work up close, this is a good place to start. Most of these sessions happen outdoors, weather permitting, so keep that in mind when you're planning your trip.

The center itself is dedicated to ornithology—the study of birds—and its mission is to inspire connections between people and birds. It's located inside Eagle Creek Park, which is designated an Audubon Important Bird Area and part of the Indiana Birding Trail. More than 280 of Indiana's 419 bird species have been recorded there, so it's a serious spot for birding in the city. The center houses several Raptor Ambassadors—non-releasable birds of prey kept because of injury or imprinting—who live in the Carlsen Aviary and feature in educational lessons. Freyja is one of them.

This Sunday session sits alongside the center's other weekly programs, Falcon Fridays and Raptor Feeding Time. Beyond these, the center offers environmental education field trips and private programming for schools, scouts, families, and other groups. If you're into birds, there's plenty to work your way through here.

It's free with park admission. The Ornithology Center is at 6515 Delong Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46278, and the session runs from 2:30 to 3:00 PM on Sunday, November 1.