Our Education Programs
Hawks Aloft offers innovative education programs to meet the needs and interests of a variety of audiences. All Hawks Aloft education programs include the presentation of permanently injured, non-releasable raptors to increase engagement and understanding.
Specific programs have been developed for:
- Students of all ages
- Special interest groups
- Corporations
Hawks Aloft educators have been delivering programs to learners throughout New Mexico for over twenty five years. Through our youth and adult educational programs, and community outreach activities, Hawks Aloft reaches over 50,000 people of all ages every year.
Who Are These Programs For?
In short: Everyone! We can adapt our programming to fit any age group, setting, or interest level.
Youth Programs
We offer a variety of programs for children of all ages, from the youngest learners to high school and college students. Our programs can be adapted to specific curriculum and classroom objectives.
Adult Programs
We are pleased to deliver a variety of programs that include guidance on citizen science projects, bird identification, corporate concerns, and more. If you’d like to arrange a fun and informative program, get in touch.
Community Outreach
We believe community outreach is vital to creating connection to the natural world and the wildlife that inhabit it. We are proud to participate in community and company events, presenting live raptors, and answering questions.
Reading with Raptors
PreK., Kindergarten, and 1st Grade
Reading with Raptors is designed for New Mexico's youngest naturalists—preschool, kindergarten, and first-grade students. This 30-45 minute program consists of reading a picture book, meeting a raptor, and one of three activities: the opportunity to touch and feel feathers, a food chain puppet show, or our build-a-raptor activity.
Bird of Prey Program (BOP)
1st Grade through 12th Grade
The Birds of Prey program is a single-visit program that can be adapted to grade levels 1 through 12. During this program, students learn about raptor adaptations through discussion and various activities. Students have a chance to see these adaptations in our live birds while learning about how these species interact with the local environment.
Living With the Landscape
LIving with the Landscape (LWL) is our flagship education program. For more than a decade, Hawks Aloft has been offering this program to Title 1 schools in the Albuquerque area completely free of charge.
Serving low-income schools where 90% of the children receive free or reduced lunch, this year-long program connects children to the wonder of the natural world through in-class presentation of birds of prey, conservation projects, hands-on activities, and field trips.
Throughout the year at schools selected through an application process, every grade level receives a minimum of two classroom visits from Hawks Aloft educators and our Avian Ambassadors. Tailoring the curriculum to the specific needs of each classroom, we teach students key conservation topics and strive to create the meaningful connections that will foster the next generation of environmental stewards.
Adult Education Programs
Adult education programs offered by Hawks Aloft include a variety of presentations for a wide range of audiences. Programs include Life and Times of New Mexico Raptors, Raptor Identification, and All About Owls. Each program is presented with live, non-releasable birds of prey and includes a slideshow presentation detailing the individual bird's history in addition to how it fits into the local ecosystem.
Corporate programs are offered to service lineman and other professional groups that can benefit from increased awareness and understanding of bird behavior and legalities around interacting with wildlife. These programs inform employees on rules and regulations as well as offer guidelines on how to safely handle injured or abandoned wildlife.
Community Outreach Booths
Hawks Aloft is often invited to events throughout New Mexico and neighboring states. Our booths are designed to engage audiences of all ages and encourage individuals in the community to make positive choices for the environment.
Foundations Supporting this Vital Work
McCaughin Mountain Foundation
Request a Program
What kind of program are you interested in? What dates are you interested in hosting Hawks Aloft? Please let us know in the form below.