BREWSTER- It’s been more than a quarter century since Green Chimneys celebrated its first Birds of Prey Day in 1992.
While the event has grown over the years, officials at Green Chimneys note: “The scope of the Wings and a Prayer fundraiser continue to center on children, the environment and nature.”
Birds of Prey Day takes place today from 10 am to 4 pm on the Green Chimneys campus along Doansburg Road at the Southeast-Patterson town line.
At the end of the program, a red-tailed hawk that was seriously injured several months ago after being struck by a vehicle—and later rehabilitated by the school’s students—will be released.
Over the years thousands of guests have attended Birds of Prey Day including many of the ‘rich and famous’ such as Bobby Kennedy Jr., Chevy Chase, Richard Gere, Gov. George Pataki, Billy Baldwin, Jim Fowler, NY Rangers hockey player Mike Richter and Martha Stewart.
The event takes place rain or shine with the ceremonial bird release planned towards the conclusion of the event from atop a fire department ladder truck.
Organizers said: “Over the years, we have rehabilitated more than 3,000 birds into the wild with the help of the children residing here. That’s what makes this place so special. Everything done with the animals occurs in the middle of a residential treatment center.”
It’s a day of education and grand display where falconers and top wildlife experts come together to share their passion for magnificent birds of prey, stories of rescue and rehabilitation, and firsthand knowledge of health and sustainability concerns for numerous species.
Green Chimneys’ Wildlife Center is a renowned rehabilitation facility licensed by NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and the US Fish & Wildlife Service, and one of the few centers to hold proper licenses and permits required for rehabilitation of Bald Eagles. In the last year, the Wildlife Center has cared for over 200 animals, providing rehabilitation services for 47 distinct bird species. Of these rescues, 81 animals were successfully released back to their natural habitat.
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