Guess Hoo's coming to Eagle Watch on Jan. 14?

Five raptors will be making special appearances inside Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon during the Forest Preserve District of Will County's Eagle Watch event on Saturday, Jan. 14.

A bald eagle and four owls will be inside the visitor center as part of Hoo’s Woods Raptor Center presentations. Each bird has a story to tell about how it became an ambassador for its species. Some were hit by cars, others had physical limitations and one was improperly cared for by humans.

Victor E., an eagle, and owls Blinky, Ted, Wesley and Clark, will be on display during two presentations at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and a meet and greet at 12:30 p.m. They are part of the many activities scheduled for the annual Eagle Watch, which runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Dianne Moller, who founded the Milton, Wis.-based Hoo’s Woods 25 year ago, is a licensed educator, falconer, rehabilitator and eagle handler through state and federal agencies. She said birds that can’t be rehabilitated and released back into the wild serve as educators.

Moller provided a brief description, including how they came to be at her facility, for each of the live raptors that will be present at Eagle Watch:

• Bald Eagle: Victor E. is an eagle admitted to Hoo’s Woods in 2018 when he was just 6 months old. He had been struck by a vehicle that left him permanently flightless.
• Eastern Screech Owls: Blinky is a 1-year-old gray phase and Ted is a 5-year-old red phase. Both birds are visually handicapped making them non-releasable back into the wild. Although screech owls are the second smallest owl in the Midwest, weighing just 6 ounces each, they are as popular as the eagles in the Hoo’s Woods program.
• Snowy Owl: Wesley is a 9-year-old snowy owl and one of the most popular raptor ambassadors. He was recovered in Southern Wisconsin after being struck by a vehicle leaving him permanently flightless. Snowy owls are the largest owl by weight in North America. These arctic owls will sometimes winter in the upper Midwest, often seen sitting on low fence posts, ditches, and large hay bales in wide open spaces.
• Barred Owl: Clark is a 10-year-old barred owl, the second largest and most common owl in the Midwest. They are the only owl species in Wisconsin with brown eyes. Clark’s 4-foot wingspan and hearty “Who Cooks for You!" call leaves audiences captivated. Someone found Clark as a baby and tried to care for him.During this period, he imprinted on humans. He doesn’t recognize his own species. It’s always best to leave infant wildlife to be cared for by the adults or contact a rehab center for assistance.

The birds send a clear message that everyone needs to care about the world around them, Moller said.

“Our education birds make learning fun and encourage community involvement,” she added. “Birds are important to the ecosystem. No matter where one travels throughout the world, birds are the one form of life that you are likely to see.”

The non-profit Hoo’s Woods rehabilitates more than 100 injured and orphaned raptors annually. The agency has a 60% success rate for returning the birds back to the wild and it presents more than 120 outreach programs annually to schools, libraries, clubs, conservation groups and other organizations.