Curating a culture of care

At the heart of The Raptor Center’s (TRC) education department are more than two dozen raptor ambassadors. Each day, these magnificent birds inspire the education team, which works tirelessly with the ambassadors to teach more than 100,000 people each year about the importance of conservation in Minnesota and how raptors are deeply important to our landscape.

The day begins with the team's curator checking in on our raptors. The person in the curator role is a leader who balances the logistics of ambassador welfare with managing the nuances of TRC’s education programming. The curator oversees the long-term care and behavioral health of our feathered education partners. They ensure the raptors’ well-being and maintain TRC’s high standards for delivering quality care to these permanent residents.

The lead interpretive naturalist supports the day-to-day management of our ambassadors. The naturalist guides everything from training protocols to diet adjustments. In keeping with our values, our team's approach is deeply rooted in both scientific knowledge and compassion. Staff and volunteers continuously and quietly observe each bird, watching for subtle changes in behavior–our primary insight into how the ambassadors are feeling both mentally and physically. These - sometimes small - clues help the team ensure each bird’s well-being is supported.

The story tellers

Interpretive naturalists are the public face of TRC’s education programs. Our highly trained interpreters connect audiences to the natural world through engaging storytelling, accurate science communication, and dynamic live raptor encounters.

Naturalists are educators, mentors, and advocates. They write interpretive content, maintain educational materials, and help design programs that meet accessibility and curriculum standards. Their deep knowledge of raptors and infectious enthusiasm make them indispensable in our mission to deliver a powerful impact when they meet the public.

Every day, our naturalists team up with education volunteers to inspire hearts and minds. TRC’s visitor center is lively with volunteers leading members of the public on tours. Naturalists deliver formal presentations in the community and create interactive experiences for outreach events, school groups, and classroom curricula.

This team of storytellers prepares for programs by learning each bird’s story and understanding the nuances of their behavior.

One vital role of a naturalist is to work directly with their feathered education partners: the raptor ambassadors. Naturalists use careful behavioral observation, positive reinforcement, and regular enrichment to build trust with their ambassadors. Raptors have individual personalities. and is up to our intuitive naturalists to understand both a species' natural history and a bird's personal characteristics to help our ambassadors live comfortably, develop and maintain curiosity, and deliver programs confidently.

Partners in purpose: Ambassador birds and volunteers

Supporting our raptor ambassadors is a dedicated team of skilled and passionate volunteers who work tirelessly behind the scenes. Education volunteers handle a range of critical tasks: preparing diets, cleaning enclosures, logging behaviors, and crafting enrichment items to keep the birds mentally stimulated. They also assist with program delivery and help engage the public on tours. Thanks to their effort, staff are able to focus on specialized responsibilities, such as bird training, welfare assessments, and high-impact public education.

Many volunteers build long-term relationships with specific birds, learning their distinctive characteristics and individual traits. These relationships enable volunteers to help staff track the small changes that can indicate an ambassador's shifting health or mood. Volunteers' dedicated consistency and care are key to the birds’ comfort.

The Raptor Center’s raptor ambassadors cannot be released to the wild due to physical or cognitive injury. While they are no longer able to soar the skies, our volunteers act as the wind beneath their wings to help them soar in spirit. Ambassador raptors have a unique life at TRC, sharing their stories to inspire conservation action. Their presence is powerful, and when paired with skilled educators and dedicated volunteers, they make TRC’s mission come alive for all to enjoy.