Q: What is a typical "day in the life of Kate Davis" like (on a day when you're not traveling to a school, but rather when you're "just home with the birds")?
A: Keeping our teaching team of raptors is a 365-day-a-year job, with no weekends or holidays, or vacations for that matter. But this is the life I chose and am very happy for the privilege of caring for these fine birds. Food is prepared every night; chickens, quail, mice, and meat is pulled from the freezers and thawed in buckets. All of the 20 birds are fed in their enclosures in the morning, but in the heat of summer and cold of winter the nocturnal owls are fed at dark. The highlight of my day is taking the falconry birds for a flight or hunt, the Peregrine first thing in the morning and Harris's Hawks later in the day. The paperwork to maintain four federal permits, program information, budget, correspondences, update the Web site, www.raptorsoftherockies.org, and write newsletters means long hours at the computer. Sibley the falcon is usually nearby on a perch in the office. With all of the bird buildings in plain view from "command central", I am often distracted and find myself visiting our residents many times a day. I fill water baths, rake out the sand and pine needles on the ground, or replace perch material or shade cloth to keep things tidy and comfortable. Then you start all over the next morning.
Q: You have, for lack of a better term, a very "non-traditional" job. Who are your role models? Who or what influenced you to go into such a unique line of work?
A: I moved to Missoula for college largely because I attended an inspirational lecture from naturalist and falconer John Craighead back in high school in Ohio. That was where I was going to school in zoology, the University of Montana. John and I have since become friends and he wrote the jacket review of my book. As far as a "job" this is completely unique and has evolved from a few birds and programs a year in to a full time occupation with over 75,000 attendees in 850 appearances with birds, so far.
Q: How can a young person develop the confidence to let their interests and passion lead them to a rewarding future career?
A: I was very fortunate to be in a group at the Cincinnati Zoo for youngsters passionate about nature, the Junior Zoologists Club. There I began rehabilitation, education, art and taxidermy, all aspects of my life today 30 years later. By "hooting up" Barred Owls as I kid, I think I knew my life's goals by experiencing nature first hand. This is the goal in Raptors of the Rockies programs for young and old alike--to notice and appreciate the wild world around them. And for youngsters to stick with their interests as I and so many others have done.
Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job?
A: I get a real kick out of seeing all of the faces in the audience one at a time as they touch the Great Horned Owl at the end of a program. The youngsters especially seem to appreciate the magic of the moment, a brief encounter with the wild. Kids with eyes as big as saucers. We have been doing these programs for 16 years and occasionally meet a grown-up attendee that saw the program as a kid and they ask, "How is Max the Golden Eagle?" He's still chowing down on squirrels and hanging out with his roommate Nigel after all of these years, thank you.
Q: You've told me that you'll be taking care of your birds for the rest of your life. In addition to your day-to-day caretaking and the visits to schools and other groups, what sorts of projects are you hoping to complete?
A: We are happy to have our first book, Raptors of the Rockies, on the shelves, and have begun work on a second. This one will be for youngsters on the order Falconiformes, or Hawks for Kids. I'll also illustrate so will get "back to the drawing board" with my art. I will continue to make films for local television, plus a show on owls for PBS. We are very proud of our Web site, reaching worldwide with constant updates at www.raptorsoftherockies.org. And my favorite private time is that spent in the field with the falconry birds. I treasure the hours and years spent with these magnificent raptors and sharing them with audiences young and old alike, and am greatly honored by receiving your Outdoor Pro award. The outdoors with our wild neighbors is the best place to be!
Checkout these photos of our visit with Kate Davis, the Ben Meadows Company 2004 Outdoor Pro Award winner. Visit www.raptorsoftherockies.org for more information about this organization.
© 2012 GHC Specialty Brands, LLC. Reference Number: WB0000
