Children were in for a special treat on Monday when the Dollywood American Eagle Foundation visited the Seymour Branch Library.
Wildlife Program Coordinator Danielle Steckley brought three different large birds to visit the children at preschool story time.
The birds included a Barn Owl, a Western Screech Owl and an American Kestrel Falcon.
Steckley showed the children each of the birds while explaining how they hunt, what parts of the country they come from, how they see in the dark, and how they fly.
“The way you can tell an American Kestrel from other birds is the way they bob their tails, which is called a tail bob,” she said.
She also demonstrated how quite barn owls feathers are by comparing it to other large bird feathers such as vulture and eagle feathers.
“Since owls hunt at the night time they use something special to catch their prey,” Steckley explained. “When they fly they fly silently, you can’t hear them flap their wings.
“When owls are out at night they only have one chance to catch what they’re going to eat so that is why Mother Nature gave them the ability of silent flight.”
The Barn Owl, named Valentine, was a special guest at the story time because it has a “heart shaped face”, keeping with the Valentine’s Day theme for the children.
The American Eagle Foundation is a non-for-profit organization founded in 1985 to develop and conduct bald eagle and environmental recovery programs.
At the Pigeon Forge AEF eagle center the staff is federally licensed care-givers to over 80 birds daily.

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