The squeals of delight — and mock terror — pierced the July sky as Atlanta, a red-tailed hawk, made an appearance at the summer camp sponsored by the Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium in Bristol. Patiently perched on the gloved arm of Lauren Parmelee, Atlanta served as a real-life show-and-tell. The captivated campers, ages 4 to 9, listened intently as Lauren talked about the raptor and expertly answered a myriad of questions:
No, you cannot pet a bird of prey (“Ohhh”). Yes, hawks eat small rodents, which they catch with their talons (“Oooo”). And, yes, they poop whenever they need to (“EWWWW!”) in order to stay as light as possible to soar in the sky.