See birds of prey show for FREE on Saturday

Owls range from small to large birds of prey and are generally solitary and nocturnal.

The first Saturday of each month at the Dunwoody Nature Center is special because, well, it’s free.

The first Saturday in February will not only be free, but it also will be feathered.

Nature’s Echo Environmental Education Group will bring its birds of prey and put on a show in the meadow.

You might see Lakota the Mississippi kite. According to Nature Echo’s website, kites have lightweight bodies that help them have a buoyant and graceful flight.

Willy might also be there. He’s a red shouldered hawk. This type of hawk feeds on rodents, so they benefit farms and gardens.

Owls are also birds of prey, meaning they pursue other animals for food. Nature’s Echo has two of them: Dawn, and Eastern screech owl, and Athena, a great horned owl.

Because this is an outdoor event, it will be canceled if there is rain.

Dunwoody Nature Center is a private, nonprofit organization that exists through a public/private partnership with the city of Dunwoody.

Upcoming Free First Saturday programs include Earth Month kickoff in April, reptiles in May and butterflies in September. For the full schedule, check the center’s website at dunwoodynature.org/free-first-saturdays.

This story was written by Nancy Clanton with The Atlanta Journal Constitution.