Help injured and orphaned wildlife while you see live birds of prey during Raptor Days at Hardy Lake, Sept. 22-24.

The annual Raptor Days festival is a weekend-long celebration of Indiana's native birds of prey. It also is the largest fundraising event for Friends of Hardy Lake, a volunteer non-profit group.
Revenue from the event supports the Dwight R. Chamberlain Raptor Center and Hardy Lake. The center rehabilitates injured and orphaned hawks, owls, eagles and falcons for eventual release back into the wild. The center also houses some non-releasable raptors for educational programming.

Raptor Days kicks off on Friday with Schools Day from 9 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Schools can bring students for live raptor and snake programs, hikes, games and crafts. Teachers must register their students by Sept. 15 by emailing lgrow@dnr.IN.gov. Space is limited, so teachers should register soon. The cost is $2 per student.

On Saturday the friends group will host an all-you-can-eat breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m. The Friends of Hardy Lake also will hold a silent auction throughout the day.

On both days, tours on pontoon boats to watch for ospreys and eagles run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Boat tours cost $2 per person. Space is limited, so on-site registration is required. Also on both days, live bird of prey programs and displays will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and visitors can tour the raptor center run from 1 to 4 p.m.

On Sunday, the Friends group will serve coffee and donuts starting at 9 a.m. Silent auction winners will be announced around 5 p.m. on Sunday. You do not need to be present to win.

Hardy Lake State Recreation Area (stateparks.IN.gov/2958.htm) is at 4171 E. Harrod Road, Scottsburg, 47170.

To view all DNR news releases, please see dnr.IN.gov.




Media contact: Leslie Grow, interpretive naturalist, Hardy Lake, (812) 794-2244, lgrow@dnr.IN.gov.