Raptor specialist Trish Nixon of The Peregrine Fund is the keynote speaker at this weekend's first Snake River Birds of Prey Festival in Kuna. In her talk, "Secret Lives of Raptors," Nixon will discuss the unique niches that birds of prey occupy in the environment. 

Nixon will speak at the barbeque banquet, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, 16 May, at Reed Elementary School, 1670 N. Linder Ave., Kuna, Idaho. 

Organized by the Western Heritage Foundation, the festival, 15-17 May, features a variety of activities for the whole family, from excursions to band raptor chicks and float the Snake River to lectures on falconry, wildlife photography, and history of the Oregon Trail.

Reed Elementary serves as festival headquarters. A full schedule can be found athttp://www.snakeriverbirdsofpreyfestival.com or call (208) 861-9131.

Kuna is the gateway to the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, a haven for birds and other wildlife. Eagles, hawks, falcons, and other birds of prey flock to the Snake River Canyon to create the largest concentration of mating and nesting raptors in the world. The festival gives the public an opportunity to observe the birds and learn about them in their natural habitat.

For more information, contact:

Erin Katzner

Director of Global Engagement

Main Phone:208-362-3716

Direct Phone:208-362-8277