Gold & Platinum Level Adopters of Opa:
Jeanie Stuntzner • Kenzie Schmick • Connie & Domino McArthur • Jan Ebi-Deprey • Werner & Barbara Ehlhardt • Koko & Margaux • The Wilde Family • Denise Egri & Serge Faumont • Mr. Marmot • Liz Parker •
Opa, a Western Screech Owl, came into human care in June 2005, when she was about three weeks old. Although she does not meet guests outside her aviary, she is very comfortable being observed while inside her home and participates in positive reinforcement training. Every day, she practices essential ambassador skills like flying to a scale and voluntarily stepping into her crate.
Western Screech-Owls are a common species but can be very difficult to see in the wild due to their amazing camouflage and their silent flight. Listen for them at dusk or dawn making their distinctive “bouncing ball” call – a series of 6-10 short hoots which start slowly and speed up. Lucky visitors may hear Opa making this call in the early evening hours or when she sees one of her trainers.
Spanish bird biographies by CrossCultural Now