Jamaica Bay Raptor Festivals Thrill Hundreds of Attendees

Large and enthusiastic crowds came out for the two Raptorama events held recently on the shores of Jamaica Bay. In addition to the many live raptors brought to the event for live demonstrations, the initial festival also featured sightings of wild Eagles, Snowy Egrets and many migrating Hawks.

Raptorama I took place Saturday, October 12 and attracted more than 100 visitors to the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. The 6th annual event featured Hawks and a Great Horned Owl brought by the Wildlife Center of Long Island.

​In addition, Don Riepe, the Littoral Society's Jamaica Bay Guardian Don Riepe, and naturalist Tod Winston led a ‘Hawk Walk’ around the West Pond that included sightings of several Hawk species, many great and snowy egrets, as well as two majestic adult bald eagles soaring through the sky. 

Raptorama II took place the following weekend, on Saturday, October 21, at the Saltmarsh Nature Center in Marine Park, Brooklyn and attracted more than 200 people. 

Raptorama is not just a celebration of birds but also an educational opportunity. It inspires attendees, especially children, to appreciate and protect these incredible creatures. This Jamaica Bay Raptorama was sponsored by the American Littoral Society in partnership with the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC), NYC Audubon, NYC Parks, and the National Park Service. The Marine Park Raptorama was supported by the Fund for the City of New York and JBPRC. 

Both raptor festivals were free to the public.