Owls to invade Liberty Park's Tracy Aviary

SALT LAKE CITY — Great horned owls often fly into Liberty Park to visit the birds at Tracy Aviary.

Next spring, a few of the species will become park residents.

The great horned owl is among the seven species planned to populate the "owl forest" under construction on the east side of the aviary at Liberty Park.

The exhibit, set to open in May, is part of the ongoing upgrade and renovation of Tracy Aviary paid for by a $19.6 million bond approved by Salt Lake County voters in 2006.

"It's an owl forest, so like the name implies, it features two things — birds and trees," said Tim Brown, Tracy Aviary executive director.

Aviary officials have been working with the Salt Lake City arborist in the removal and planting of trees to create the forest. Already, 112 pine trees have been planted. Eight exhibit structures of various sizes will be built amidst the trees, with each expected to house a pair of owls.

"The owl forest will cap our North America exhibit," Brown said. "All of the owls will come from North America."

The owls will range in size from the 7- to 8 1/2-inch-tall saw-whet owls to the 27- to 28-inch great gray owls — the largest found in North America.

"I don't think many people realize just what diversity of owls we have here in Utah, in our own backyard," said aviary curator Roger Sweeney. "(The owl forest) allows us to showcase that."

All of the owls that will be on exhibit at the aviary will come from wildlife rehab facilities. The aviary provides long-term care and housing for birds that are determined to not be able to survive in the wild.

Other species planned for the owl forest are the great gray owl, barred owl, flammulated owl and Western screech owl.

"(The owl forest) will allow people to get very close to these really charismatic birds," Sweeney said. "And it really allows us at the aviary to work toward our mission of connecting the public with the environment."

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