This week, the kids at the week-long Camp Innsbrook were excited to welcome visitors from the World Bird Sanctuary, a not-for-profit entity whose mission is to secure the future of threatened bird species in their natural environments. The World Bird Sanctuary houses mostly birds of prey on its 305-acre compound, and takes care of approximately 400 birds each year at its wildlife hospital.

The visitors gave camp kids ideas of how to help wildlife, like by picking up litter so it’s not ingested by our animal friends. Their theme for the event was “Creatures of Myth and Legend”, and the goal was to dispel the myths and rumors of ick-worthy animals and those that are shrouded in mystery and legend. Here, we’ll just focus on the ones that we see around Innsbrook (unless you want to hear more about the Madagascar hissing cockroach; zebra tarantula; and boa constrictor…). PS: Did you know tarantula hairs were once used as an ingredient in itching powder?

Here are the other creatures we learned about, which were all hatched and raised at the World Bird Sanctuary:

Turkey Vulture – You’ll see these guys mostly from underneath as they swoop and soar over the hills and lakes of Innsbrook. And just because they’re up there soaring doesn’t necessarily mean they’re circling their next meal, as the buzzards of old Western movies might have been – they might be riding a hot, ascending column of air to a higher vantage point (they are called “thermal soarers” for this reason). Turkey vultures have the less-than-appetizing habit of feeding on road kill and regurgitating as a method of self-defense. Contrary to the beliefs of some, turkey vultures do not kill live animals.

Photo by Kurt Kruger

Great Horned Owl – Owls are thought of as being pretty intelligent – the wise old owl – but they’re actually not too bright, even for the bird world (ravens, crows, magpies and jays are the birds known for their brains). With their large unmoving eyes and haunting call, they can give those who hear or see them inclinations of eeriness. These great nocturnal hunters are the quintessential storybook owl.

Barn Owl – These owls are ghostly pale in color, silent predators of the night. Many landowners take advantage of these owls’ rodent-hunting skills by putting up boxes so barn owls can nest without entering a building. A “Species of Conservation Concern in Missouri, where their populations are vulnerable,” the barn owl was one of the owl species that appeared in Harry Potter films.

It may be hard to believe sometimes, but all the creatures of Innsbrook, from flying to feathered to furry and everything in between, play important roles in our ecosystem. We can consider ourselves lucky to witness nature in action on a daily basis!