Our main destination for the overnight trip was Wingspan National Bird of Prey Centre in Rotorua.
Click here for their web page.
They have outdoor demonstrations of the New Zealand falcon that is a threatened species. All their falcons have come to them with injuries. They are then paired up for Mating and their offspring are eventually released into the wild.
At Wingspan, they are trained to come at command and, when that is accomplished, they are free to fly wherever they want, as you can see!
Three different birds and handlers informed us of many facts we didn't know.
They were rewarded with a treat of meat.
At the end of the show they surprised us with a beautiful barn owl from Australia.
It seems they have made their way over here (hitching rides) and now are considered endemic because there are quite a few mating pairs here.
This one was rewarded with a mouse which he enjoyed by the look on his face!
If you are ever in Rotorua, be sure to stop by, it's well worth your time.
