Staff & Directors | Birds & Animals | Facilities
LEADERS IN ANIMAL TRAINING AND PRESENTATION
Natural Encounters, Inc. produces and presents bird shows
primarily at zoos and theme parks, as well as at the State
Fair of Texas. When not flying in shows, the birds are housed
in Winter Haven, Florida at our facility affectionately known
as "The Ranch".
The Ranch was previously
an Emu farm that we converted into our bird facility. With
over 32,000 square feet of housing for birds, we house some
of our collection of over 200 birds. More than 50 species
are represented in the collection, including such diverse
species as the Lappet-faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotus), African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus
vocifer), Palm
Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus), Hawk Headed
Parrot (Deroptyus accipitrinus), and 2 stunning
Harpy Eagles (Harpia harpyja).
The Ranch sits on 34 acres, which allows plenty of space
for housing and training free flight behaviors. In front,
a large 10 acre pasture is the perfect location for lure
flying falcons and conditioning other birds for shows.
Breeding is also a priority with breeding enclosures for
several species including Augur Buzzards (Buteo rufofuscus),
African Fish Eagles (Haliaeetus vocifer), Bateleur
Eagle (Terathopius ecaudatus), Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo
bubo), African White-necked Raven (Corvus albicollis), Pied
Crow (Corvus albus), Yellow-headed Vulture, and
Tawny Eagles (Aquila rapax), which are on loan
from The World Bird Sanctuary.
Also surrounding the ranch
is some of the best wildlife encounters Florida has to
offer. Almost every day Bald Eagles can be seen flying
over the ranch between their nest and their roost. Sandhill
Cranes forage in the pasture on a regular basis. Great-horned
and Barred Owl silhouettes are often seen in the trees
as the sun sets. We have even spotted a few Indigo Snakes
and no less than eight active Gopher Tortoise burrows on
the property. Swamps stretch back behind the ranch and
are home to many more interesting animals like Alligators,
River Otters, and Wood Storks.
We look forward to continued improvement and development
down the road.
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