Learn About Owls

On a visit to a place called the International Owl Center, you might expect some sleek modern building with owls swooping through the rafters. Instead, picture the exact opposite: a cozy, low-tech space full of heart and feathers, housed in a historic storefront in downtown Houston, marked by giant owl faces with piercing yellow eyes on the windows. My husband and I visited the southeastern Minnesota educational center on a sunny September Sunday with a mission: to see and learn more about owls.

There are no flashy screens or digital exhibits; however, original children’s owl art from around the world adorns the walls, creating a sense of wonder. I picked up owl-weighted stuffed animals and was surprised at how light the different varieties of owls are. Touching real feathers made me feel especially connected to the birds of prey. A row of taxidermized owls displayed above a map showing their habitats and wingspans helped acclimate me to their locations and sizes. (Those great gray owls up in Sax-Zim Bog that I love? Try a 57-inch wingspan.)

The highlight for us was the four live owls on site—Pierce the barred owl, Piper the barn owl, JR the eastern screech owl, and Ruby the great horned owl—each with their own backstory and personality. When an educator brought Ruby out during an hour-long talk on respectful owl viewing, we joined in the chorus of oohs and ahhs from the 30 or so people in attendance. When Ruby made eye contact with me, it was a thrill, and when she relieved herself, making a splash on the floor, we all laughed.

Outside the center, Houston celebrates its feathered fame with the ongoing Parade of Owls, featuring nine artist-designed sculptures scattered throughout town, all within walking distance.

The International Owl Center invites visitors to discover the wonders of owls in its unassuming and charming space, leaving them with a reconnection to nature. Mission accomplished.
 

Access for All

• Open Friday-Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed on major holidays). Hour-long programs at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The cost is $9 for adults, with discounts available for seniors, veterans, active military members, and children ages 4-17. Those three and under get in free.

• The center offers several nighttime Owl Prowls throughout the year, where visitors can go out in the evening to known owl territories with staff to look and listen for eastern screech owls, barred owls, and great horned owls.

• The International Festival of Owls, March 6-8, is the center’s big annual event (each year the first full weekend in March), drawing visitors from around the world for three days of owl-centric happenings including live owl programs; a birding, geology, and natural history bus trip; owl art and crafts; nest building and pellet dissection; and speakers. The kids’ owl art contest drew almost 3,000 entries from 33 countries and 23 U.S. states last year.

Future Site

The International Owl Center has purchased land nearby, with plans to construct a new state-of-the-art facility. The complex would include a covered and screened walkway leading to walk-through aviaries where visitors can experience owls native to the area. See architectural plans and watch a video about the planned new center at internationalowlcenter.org.