I honestly had no idea what to expect when I decided to visit the International Owl Center in Houston, Minnesota.
The center is in a storefront in this tiny town, with a van out front decorated with owls proclaiming it as the Owlmobile.
When I entered, there was a gift shop and a room filled with chairs. I made my way to the front of the room, where several owls were peering at me from cages.
At the time, I didn’t know it, but I was right on time for one of two daily lectures about the owls, the way the center is operating, and future plans for a much larger facility.
I was at the front of the room, watching and photographing the owls. When I turned around, nearly every seat was filled, so I sat, too. A young woman, Andie Harveaux, began telling the gathered about owls.
Andie introduced us to some of the center’s ambassador owls: Ruby the Great Horned Owl, JR the Eastern Screech-owl, Piper the American Barn Owl, Pierce the Barred Owl and Bea the Burrowing Owl.
Our speaker explained that this is not where the owls live, but rather at a much larger facility where they are free to fly and enjoy a limited freedom.
“The goal of the Owl Center is to educate, inspire and empower people. We have lots of static and interactive displays where people can learn more about these fantastic feathered creatures and what you can do to help them,” the website says. “In addition, we always have an educator on hand who can talk to you about the displays and answer any questions.”
The educational and entertaining lecture builds to a crescendo when we get to meet Pierce the Barred Owl up close, as Pierce is retrieved and brought to the front of the room. She carefully handled the owl and continued her explanations.
She also told the gathering that a new facility was planned.
“The new International Owl Center facility will set a new gold standard for owl aviaries in the United States,” said Karla Bloem, Executive Director. “Visitors will be able to walk through the sides of the aviaries, with nothing between them and the owls living free in large, naturally vegetated enclosures.
“The concept was pioneered in Germany in the 1980s and has been copied by zoos in Europe, but not yet in the United States,” Karla added.
What I expected and what I found were worlds apart. But what I left with was a much better understanding of owls’ needs and their importance in nature.
For more information about the owls, the current facility and the center’s future, click here.
