Owl forest exhibit gives a injured birds a permanent home

Salt Lake City’s Tracy Aviary is now home to a head-turning exhibit, housing a variety of North American owls.

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The aviary opened the Owl Forest recently with a total of 13 owls, of seven different species native to North America, set among wooded stands of more than 100 native pine trees. According to Abbey Christensen, Tracy Aviary public relations, marketing and events coordinator, the residents include barn owl, barred owl, great horned owl, long-eared owl, short-eared owl, saw-whet owl and screech owl.

 

 

Each of the 13 residents were injured in the wild and have been sent from rehabilitation facilities to live at the aviary for educational purposes.

“The exhibit is focused on the species of owls found locally in our own backyards as well as those that spend part of the year here,” Tracy Aviary Curator, Dave Orndorff said. “The birds are from zoological facilities around the country as well as from wildlife rehabilitation facilities throughout the country. Our intent is to give the birds permanent homes here at the Tracy Aviary.”

The exhibit provides people the opportunity to see creatures they may not otherwise.

“What’s not cool about an owl?” Orndorff said. “They are a species that exists on every continent except the Antarctic. Owls live in our own backyards yet few people have ever seen one. That’s because of their specialized feathers with fringes of varying softness that help muffle sound when they fly. Their broad wings and light bodies also make them nearly silent fliers, which helps them stalk prey more easily. A barn owl can eat up to 1,000 mice each year, and many farmers try to attract barn owls to help control rodent populations in agricultural fields.”

Along with helping agriculturally, owls have also played a historical role in people’s  imaginations.

“There’s always been a mystique, interest and allure about owls and the legends behind them,” Christensen said. “But people can never see them, so Tracy Aviary wanted to share the diversity, beauty and the intrigue that owls bring.”

Tracy Aviary is constantly looking for ways to upgrade its facilities and contribute to the community. According to Christensen the owl forest exhibit is part of an ongoing upgrade and renovation. This particular exhibit is a $250,000 privately funded project.

The Owl Forest is not the only recent addition.

“Some of our newer exhibits that have seen quite a bit of success are Destination Argentina, Southern Ground Hornbills, the Kennecott Wetland Immersion Experience and the South American Pavilion, an indoor tropical rainforest which opened last summer,” Christensen said.

Amy Nelson Smith, a visual arts major, recently visited the new exhibit.

“You can tell that they put a lot of thought into how to do it and what the natural environment is,” Smith said. “It is set up so they can have privacy but you can enjoy seeing them too.”