Happy ‘Feather’s Day’ this Sunday

JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — Teton Raptor Center (TRC) will adapt their annual RaptorFest event this year and offer a new in-person opportunity to see TRC’s resident raptors on Father’s Day, June 20 from 1‑3pm at the Stilson Lot and Transit Center.

The celebration will be designed as a drive thru/bike thru raptor safari and will allow for individual groups to arrive by car or bike and enjoy meeting different raptor species from Teton Raptor Center’s resident raptor team. Event attendees arriving by car or bike will pass through a number of stations featuring different raptor species while learning from staff and volunteers from Teton Raptor Center.

The event is free to attend and participants will have the opportunity to take photos of the raptors and ask questions about the birds. The experience is recommended for birding enthusiasts of all ages.

The new format this year comes in response to continued site improvement work at Teton Raptor Center’s campus in Wilson, as well as construction at the Snow King ballfield—the most recent venue for the RaptorFest event. It also incorporates an approach that supports spatial distancing to address COVID-19 concerns.

In addition to celebrating birds of prey, TRC hopes this year’s event format will provide families an opportunity to commemorate the summer solstice and Father’s Day, also known as “Feather’s Day” at Teton Raptor Center.

“We are trying this new location and fresh approach to celebrate birds of prey on Father’s Day. RaptorFest has become a treasured community tradition and we’re pleased to offer it again this year. 2020 caused us to curtail a lot of our public programming, said TRC executive director Amy Brennan McCarthy. “This year’s RaptorFest is a launching point for a summer filled with many new opportunities to learn and to see the birds at venues across Jackson Hole.”

This year’s in-person event is a part of a larger five-day celebration honoring birds of prey. Throughout the week of June 16- 20, Teton Raptor Center will also provide digital learning opportunities on their social media channels (@tetonraptorcenter). Each day will have a theme based on the five different types of raptors found in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem including eagles, owls, hawks, falcons, and ospreys.