Hoot and Holler for Owls at the Library

See Ohio-native owls live in action this summer at your library! GCPL is hosting the Glen Helen Raptor Center for their Only Owls presentation, where they show off three amazing owls. Learn what makes these birds masters of the night as Raptor Center staff reveal the owls’ unique adaptions in real time. 

Raptor Center Director Rebecca Jaramillo discussed their programs and why it’s important to learn about birds of prey.

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Your Only Owls presentation allows patrons to meet three Ohio native owls; what should patrons expect to learn from this program

Typically, we bring an Eastern Screech Owl, a Barn Owl, and a Great Horned Owl though sometimes we will substitute a Barred Owl in, depending on how everyone's feeling that day. You can find pictures here of our owls along with the stories of how they came to be in the center’s care. I never know which exact birds until that day since we monitor and assess each bird every day for willingness to participate in programming.

What is you and your staff’s favorite part about educating people about birds of prey?

I always say that the purpose of education is to ignite people's inner superhero and encourage them to learn about the world around them. At the end of the day, I don't much care if they like owls, or tigers, or plants, or spiders, as long as they find some living thing that they can connect to, then use their superpowers to learn about and protect that piece of the Earth. If we all do that, then the world will be in good hands. 

What, in your opinion, is the biggest takeaway you want people to understand about raptor conservation and why it’s important here in Southwestern Ohio?

Raptors are a part of our ecosystem and are connected to it in ways that benefit humans more than we realize. They are tremendously important in keeping rodent and insect populations under control. When we use poisons to get rid of mice or insects, we need to remember that those poisons enter into the greater food chain and end up causing harm to animals that are our allies in the fight against these pests.

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Rebecca went on to share that the Raptor Center is open to visitors daily! Their summer hours are 9 a.m. - 7 p.m., and she encourages people to come learn how they can help take care of the native birds.

Get ready to have a hooting good time at Only Owls happening at the Cedarville and Jamestown community libraries on June 8!