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Raptor Free Flight!
The most extraordinary birds of prey exhibition in the United States!
Important Notice
Raptor Free Flight has been temporarily discontinued, along with the museum's other animal shows and interpretive talks. Please see our Reopening Information before your visit.
Why this presentation is so impressive …
- The birds fly so close you can feel the brush of feathers as they whiz by!
- The birds fly completely untethered, without any jesses (leg straps) and most often without bracelets.
- Presentations occur in the open desert, not in an amphitheater!
- It features the only raptor species in the world that hunt as a family using strategy, like wolves!
- Only birds native to the Sonoran Desert region are flown in the demonstrations.
- Different birds fly in each show (10 a.m. and 2 p.m.) so each show is unique.
Watch as these amazing aerialists soar and swoop in their native desert habitat while a narrator describes their attributes, habitats and behaviors.
Bring your cameras and get ready for some supercharged action!
See our full Raptor Free Flight photo gallery here
See a selection of birds flying from the following species currently in the Museum's collection:
Chihuahuan Ravens • Great Horned Owl • Ferruginous Hawk • Caracara • Peregrine Falcon • Red-tailed Hawk • Barn Owl • Gray Hawk • Harris's Hawks
In the wild, Harris's Hawks fly in family groups of three to seven birds. Watch as they ascend and hunt together! Family dynamics change throughout the season and you might just witness the female assert her dominance by ousting the smaller males off the tops of the saguaros!
© Walt Thomas
Arizona is one of the only states where Harris's Hawks can be found in the wild.
© Kenny Don
Fun Gray Hawk fact: Specializes in reptilian prey, especially lizards
See more Fun Facts here!
