A Whole New World For The Wonderful Birds Of Prey At Earthplace
The annual Earthplace Fall Festival kicked off with a ribbon cutting ceremony to open the highly anticipated, completely rebuilt Birds Of Prey exhibit. This exhibit has always been a visitor favorite for many years. Cutting the ribbon is Earthplace Executive Director Amee Borys, with the ribbon being held by their former Executive Director Tony McDowell and Director of Nature Education & Conservation Veronica Swain, both of whom helped make this very special exhibit happen.
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The Birds Are Back at Earthplace!
The birds are back at Earthplace, and for generations of local families who have grown up visiting them, their return is something to celebrate. After 10 months of construction, Earthplace officially reopened its newly rebuilt Birds of Prey Exhibit on October 3, 2026, during its annual Fall Festival. The reopening marks an exciting new chapter for one of Earthplace’s most beloved and longstanding exhibits.
The Birds of Prey Exhibit is home to eagles, hawks, vultures, owls, ravens, and crows. Each bird has a story. All have permanent injuries or other conditions that prevent them from surviving independently in the wild. At Earthplace, they have a second chance as wildlife ambassadors, helping thousands of children and adults discover these remarkable animals up close and learn why protecting wildlife and their habitats matters.
“These birds have been part of Earthplace for generations,” said Amee Borys, Executive Director of Earthplace. “So many people in our community remember visiting them as children and are now bringing their own children here. To welcome the birds back into these beautiful new spaces is incredibly special.”
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A large group of guests gathered to await the big moment when the ribbon is cut and visitors can once again see their favorite birds.
Above, one of Earthplace’s much admired Bald Eagles watches the crowd as the enter to tour the new compound. At right are two Red-Tailed Hawks taking in the scene from their new, spacious enclosure.
Designed With the Environment in Mind
The transformation didn't stop with the aviaries. Improvements to the surrounding site include stormwater management features and a new rain garden designed to capture and absorb runoff. A rain garden does something wonderfully simple: instead of allowing stormwater to rush away from a site, plants and soil help capture and filter the water and allow it to soak naturally back into the ground. It means the exhibit itself can become part of the lesson. Visitors coming to learn about wildlife can also see an example of how thoughtful choices about land and water can help protect the environment those animals depend upon.
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Made Possible by Community Support
The new Birds of Prey Exhibit took 10 months to build, but it was years in the making. Bringing it to life required the generosity, expertise, and hard work of many people throughout the Earthplace community. Earthplace is especially grateful to project funders Saugatuck Financial, Don and Jeanette Linsey and Doug Golden; architect Jeff Kaufmann; Rick Benson and Company; Earthplace's Board of Directors; project sponsors; and the staff, contractors, volunteers, and community members who helped make the new exhibit possible.
Opening the new aviaries is an important milestone, but caring for the birds is a commitment that continues 365 days a year. On average, Earthplace spends approximately $25,000 each year just to feed its resident birds of prey. Their care also includes veterinary services, habitat maintenance, enrichment, and the daily attention of trained animal care professionals.
Donations of all sizes help Earthplace continue that work and are always welcome. Aviary sponsorships and naming opportunities are also available, giving individuals, families, and businesses a special way to support the birds and become part of the next chapter of this beloved Earthplace tradition.
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A Better Home for the Birds
The new exhibit was designed first and foremost with the birds in mind. The former aviaries had aged and required significant repair. Their replacements provide updated habitats that better support the birds and make it easier for Earthplace's animal care staff to provide for their daily needs. Visitors will notice a difference, too. The new aviaries provide more opportunities to see the birds from different vantage points and experience them up close, while still giving the birds appropriate spaces to retreat from view when they choose.
More Than an Exhibit
For generations of local families, a visit to Earthplace has meant a visit to the birds. Children encounter them on school field trips and at summer camp. Preschoolers grow up seeing them just steps from their classrooms. Families return year after year, and many adults who first visited the birds as children now bring their own children to meet them.
That connection is at the heart of the new exhibit.
New interpretive signage introduces visitors to the individual birds and their stories while also helping people understand the larger conservation story. Visitors can discover the adaptations and behaviors that make these species so extraordinary, learn about the challenges they face in the wild, and find simple ways to help protect birds and their habitats at home and in their own communities.
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Architect Jeff Kaufmann (above, left with Tony McDowell) worked closely with Earthplace's resident experts Veronica Swain and Ren Roberts throughout the design process. Their firsthand knowledge of the birds—their behaviors, personalities, physical needs, and daily routines—helped shape spaces created specifically for the animals who would call them home.
Construction was led by Rick Benson and Company.
Come Meet the Birds
Now that the doors are open, the best way to experience the new exhibit is to come meet the birds yourself. Visitors can see the birds during regular visits to Earthplace and learn even more about them through programs led by Earthplace educators and animal care staff.
On the first Sunday of every month, Earthplace offers Winged Wonders, a drop-in program featuring a bird-on-glove demonstration. Visitors can meet one of Earthplace's birds of prey up close while learning about its unique adaptations, behaviors, personality, and important role in the ecosystem. Winged Wonders is included with admission. Whether you remember visiting the birds years ago or are meeting them for the very first time, Earthplace welcomes you to come see their new homes.
For more information about the Birds of Prey Exhibit, visiting Earthplace, making a donation, or supporting the project through a sponsorship or naming opportunity, visit Earthplace.org or contact Director of Development Lucie Connell.
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Earthplace Fall Festival Draws Hundreds For Family Fun Day
There were plenty of fun activities for kids and their parents to enjoy. Everywhere you went there were games to be played, crafts to be created, and an opportunity to get close-up and personal with some of Earthplace’s wonderful wildlife.
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The event began at 11:00AM and by 11:30 the parking lot was full and cars lined Woodside Lane all the way to Stony Brook Rd., with Lilian Wadsworth Arboretum used for overflow parking. People continued to stream in throughout the day.
A perennial favorite, the “corn pit” kept kids engaged for quite some time as they jumped, dove and “swam” in hundreds of thousand of corn kernels. They found several clever ways to enjoy this very busy attraction.
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The line forms for another very enjoyable attraction, the hayride around the Earthplace pasture.
The hayride passes another fun game, pumpkin bowling, above, right and below, where one youngster met the staff’s challenge to “be creative”.
Kids and their parents were enthralled by a visit with Banana, Earthplace’s Ball Python who came to live there in 2015.
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This exhibit is part of Earthplace’s efforts to protect the shoreline of and sea life in Lon Island Sound. It illustrates the harm caused by people who fail to properly deal with all of the plastic which is polluting our precious environment.
With all of the fun activities some these kids found the rock wall a different kind of challenge. The popular donut on a string posed a challenge for kids looking for a treat, but only with a bit of work, kind of like an Earthplace version of bobbing for apples (a boomer reference no doubt).
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.