Eco Fest - Raptors

We stopped by Eco Fest today (in Arlington, Texas), mostly because we heard they were giving away free plants.  While we were there, I was able to photograph some of the birds brought out by the Blackland Prairie Raptor Center.  All of thier birds are either injured or for some reason unable to care for themselves in the wild, so hearing their stories is a little sad, but it is still amazing to see such majestic creatures up close. 

Perigrin Falcon -- This is the type of bird made fameous in My Side of the Mountain.

Red Tailed Hawk -- This guy is a teenager, with lots of energy.  He broke one wing, probably while learning to fly.  Somebody patched him up, but he couldn't fly properly, so he crashed and broke the other one.  In captivity, he'll probably live to be in his twenties.

Screech Owl -- Isn't this just the most adorable thing you ever saw?  That's probably why somebody fed him, and now he can't hunt on his own.

Red Shouldered Hawk -- This guy never learned to hunt either.  He can fly, but tends to go in circles.