Forty-plus years ago, John Stokes was called to a Memphis school to pick up a red-tailed hawk. A student had managed to trap it in his backyard that morning and brought it in for show-and-tell. When he arrived, Stokes, who was the assistant curator of birds at the Memphis Zoo, saw that the hawk belonged to a falconer.
"She still had on her jesses," Stokes says, referring to the strip of leather falconers fasten on their birds' legs. While there, he took the opportunity to teach about the hawk, and he remembers the students' curiosity and awe.
"I saw a thirst in these kids," says Stokes. Word spread, and soon he was fielding phone calls from teachers throughout the city. He ended up keeping the hawk after connecting with the falconer and becoming licensed. He named her Charger after the school mascot.
"That year, I did 25 shows by word of mouth. The next year, I did 100," says Stokes.
Thus began his lifelong passion for raptor education, now taking center stage at Rock City Gardens.
Rock City Raptors interactive bird exhibit returned this spring for its 19th season. Presented by Stokes and his wife, Dale Kernahan, through their nonprofit Wings to Soar, the 35-minute shows feature trained, non-releasable birds of prey, used to "show people how cool nature is."
The birds come to the couple by way of wildlife rehabilitators, who commonly receive raptors with wing injuries, eye injuries or human-imprinting. If a rehabber deems an animal non-releasable, they must find a licensed caretaker, such as Wings to Soar, to keep the bird for educational purposes.
Currently, Stokes and Kernahan house 20 birds of prey on their two-acre property. The collection includes Harris hawks, barred owls, screech owls, American kestrels, peregrine falcons, red-tailed hawks and more. Only a few are used in shows. The others are either retired or in training — "understudies," Stokes calls them.
Left photo contributed by Scaly Adventures / John Stokes, co-founder of Wings to Soar, holds Vika, a peregrine falcon. / Right photo contributed by Wings to Soar / Dale Kernahan, who co-founded Wings to Soar with husband John Stokes, holds Buddy the screech owl.
This year's cast includes new characters as well as returning stars, such as Buddy the screech owl and Cayce the black vulture, which have both been part of Rock City Raptors since the first show in 2004.
Back then, Stokes and Kernahan presented on a temporary stage surrounded by folding chairs. Today, they have Rock City's Critter Classroom with amphitheater-style seating, staging areas and netting that surrounds the space, helping prevent birds from accidentally escaping when they are flown over the audience.
Newcomers to the show include a one-winged bald eagle named Atsha Yazta, Cherokee for "littlest eagle," and Antares, an albino barred owl rescued by hikers in the Smokies as crows were attacking him.
"This is the only albino barred owl we know of in the U.S.," Stokes says.
Albinism is a rare genetic condition where there is no production of pigment in a bird's feathers, making them especially vulnerable to predation due to their lack of camouflage. Because of this, Antares cannot be returned to the wild, but he can help educate the next generation on the importance of protecting the natural world.
"We have audience members now that we have watched grow up," Stokes says. "People who were 10 years old when they saw their first show, who are now married and bring their own kids. That's what motivates us, being able to teach about these magnificent birds that are so important to our ecosystems."
SEE ROCK CITY RAPTORS
Wings to Soar presents its birds of prey every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Labor Day weekend, plus daily the week of July 4th, at Rock City Gardens’ Critter Classroom. Each show lasts about 35 minutes and includes interesting trivia, audience fly-overs and more. There are multiple shows each day. See the schedule and learn more about Wings to Soar at soarsouth.org.