Brookfield Zoo welcomes back Festival of Flight
It's not often that the stars of a show circle, swoop and glide only inches above the heads of the audience. But when those stars were born with wings, they take to the sky.
More than 20 species of birds star in the Festival of Flight, returning to Brookfield Zoo for the second year on Saturday, May 28.
Many of the birds fly, but some sing, do tricks and interact with audience members.
A hooded vulture with dark-as-night eyes hovers directly above the crowd. A Jersey Giant rooster waddles across the stage. Two yellow-headed Amazon parrots sing a few tunes.
“There is a lot of potential for people to get close to these birds and to interact,” said Bill Zeigler, senior vice president of animal programs for the Chicago Zoological Society. “The audience can see how silent an owl is in flight, and watch as trainers toss treats into the air so a bird can catch something on the wing.”
The show teaches about the various birds' habits in nature and also encourages conservation efforts, Zeigler said.
Festival of Flight is run by the Natural Encounters Inc., an organization from Winter Haven, Florida.
Among the birds in the show are the commonly seen pigeon, a rarely spotted Harpy eagle and a colorful kea parrot.
“We see a lot of surprised faces and a lot of enthusiasm from our audiences,” said Jose Bello, a supervisor at Natural Encounters Inc.
Bello also stressed that the presenters try to inspire audiences to help birds and other creatures.
“We aren't here just to teach facts, but to let people know there are things they can do every day with the environment, like recycling and carpooling. Everything helps to conserve these beings that share this planet with us,” Bello said.
Birds even collect donations from the crowd to aid with conservation efforts.
A pied crow flies over the audience, looking for outstretched hands with paper currency. The dollar bills are then plucked by the crow and brought back to the stage. At the end of each show, a collared raven joins in the collection.
Ravens and crows make perfect collectors, Bello said.
“Ravens, crows, jay and magpies are corvids,” he said. “They collect things naturally. Out in the wild, they would collect food and hide it in different places.”
Festival of Flight
When: Runs daily from Saturday, May 28, through Monday, Sept. 5
Where: Just west of the Tropic World habitat at Brookfield Zoo, 8400 W. 31st St., Brookfield
Tickets and info: Free with paid $12.50-$17.85 zoo general admission; free for kids 2 and younger. Parking is $11. For daily show schedule and information, call (708) 688-8000 or see