‘The World of Owls’ presented by Wingmasters and the Saugus Public Library

  Wingmasters will be at the Saugus Public Library on Saturday, May 20, at 10:30 a.m. This program is recommended for adults, teens and children ages six and up. The program is free, but registration is required. To register please see our website events calendar at www.sauguspubliclibrary.org

  Owls are probably more misunderstood than any other kind of bird. These are hunting birds, yet their sharp beaks and talons are partly hidden under feathers. Owls have more and softer feathers than other birds, and this unique plumage gives them a plump, rounded look. Add an upright posture and huge eyes set in front like ours, and you have what looks irresistibly like a small, bemused person wearing a fur coat.

  In reality, owls are superbly adapted nocturnal hunters. This program shows how owls use their specialized powers of sight, hearing and flight to survive and thrive. A variety of live North American owls provides the focus of this presentation.

  Wingmasters is a partnership of two people dedicated to increasing public understanding and appreciation of North American birds of prey. Julie Anne Collier and Jim Parks are both licensed raptor rehabilitators based in Massachusetts. Together they care for injured birds of prey at their center in Leverett, Mass. Most of the birds they rehabilitate can ultimately be released back into the wild, but in some cases the birds are left permanently handicapped. Julie and Jim are further licensed to provide a home for these non-releasable raptors, and to use them for educational programs. Since 1994 Wingmasters has presented over 5,000 programs at schools, libraries and museums throughout New England.

  This program is supported in part by a grant from the Saugus Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

  Saugus Public Library, 295 Central St., Saugus, MA 01906; 781-231-4168; sauguspubliclibrary.org; facebook.com/SaugusPublicLibrary/