As guests of the Toronto Botanical Garden, my family and I attended the second in the City Critter Series called "Great Birds of Prey" last month.  We learned about the fascinating world of predatory birds and got to meet a few of them, with a return visit from Hibou who we first met at the Hoot n' Howl Owl Prowl back in January. Let's just say the kids were super excited for part two in the City Critters Family Series.

The presentation was very interesting and I learned a lot about hawks, falcons and vultures. I think I fell in love with the peregrine falcon. It must have something to do with his Elvis sideburns... I also learned that the turkey vulture loves to eat carrion, which is a fancy word for... yep, you guessed it. Roadkill!

...the falcon is the fastest animal on earth? It can dive at speeds of over 320 km/h!

Once the presentation was over, we headed outdoors to make some nests using found materials in the woods. The kids had so much fun!

We then played a game that illustrated the food chain and also the effects of toxins such as DDT, which lead to the near extinction of some species.

I'd like to send a warm thank-you to the Toronto Botanical Garden for inviting us to join in the City Critters Family Series. We are having so much fun and learning a lot about the animals in our city. We look forward to part 3: The Buzz on Bees.