Birds 101: Corvids & Owls

The mysterious aura surrounding these two families of birds makes for a great discussion. In this Birds 101 class, we will cover the resident species of Corvids, crows and ravens, and Owls. Owls have such unique adaptations that allow them to hunt effectively at night. We will go over the fascinating anatomy and physiology of owls along with the lore surrounding these “mysterious” creatures. Corvids are equally fascinating. The intelligence level of crows and ravens is above most every other bird family in the world. We will talk about the ways in which this family has advantages over others and go over the species in our area.

Kevin Burke is originally from the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. He grew up running around in the woods and trails of Shenandoah National Park, where he spent summers camping and hiking with his family. Kevin was introduced to birding by his grandmother, who pointed out all the feeder birds and helped him identify them. This early exposure to the natural world helped foster a lifelong love of learning and birding! Inspired by his first formal ornithology class at Hocking College in Ohio, Kevin has been birding every day since. He went on to get a Bachelor of Science in Ecotourism and Conservation Ecology from the University of Idaho. He has been leading birding trips in some capacity for almost 20 years, traveling throughout the US, Costa Rica, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic. His birding journey has also taken him to some other spectacular locations including Portugal, Colombia, The Bahamas and Canada.

Host or Publisher The NC Arboretum Adult Education Programs