CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — As people make their way to Corpus Christi this week for the Birdiest Festival in America, there is plenty to see.
Extreme Raptors Host Jonathan Wood told 3NEWS, "People are coming from all over the country here. I met people from different states. We get people from different countries that will come to Corpus Christi because of the reputation this city has for birds. There's birds all over the place."
Wood has been doing shows like it since he was twelve years old, and he started the Raptor Project with his wife Susan about 30 years ago. He's traveled to 47 states, about to be 48, to put on thousands of shows. He says each one brings something new to the audience.
"It's kind of life changing, you want to shake things up here a little bit. These kids have never seen birds like this and they're never seen them face to face, this close, they're amazed. Many people come to the show, they don't think the birds are real when they first sit down, but they are alive and well," said Wood.
At one point, he had more than 80 birds in his care. It's now down to 18, which is more than enough to put on his show as he travels around the city. He breeds some and others are donated to him with injuries.
The shows give people a chance to see something like never before. "I feel like the luckiest person in the world cause I get to come out here and see this and I even get to bring a friend. It's just amazing to see all these wonderful birds that I rarely get to see," said Marin Patterson.
One of the previously injured birds is bald eagle named Uncle Sam. Patterson volunteered to feed him and she said it was an experience she will never forget. "It was great! I was so nervous. Like, they have giant beaks, they're the biggest birds, and I just go up there with this little mini hospital glove and I get to feed this giant bird a piece of meat."
Falcons like Tundra and bald eagles like Uncle Sam have been featured in movies, tv shows, commercials, magazines, and more. But for those who see them in person, it can inspire a whole new passion.
"In these kids, they become real fans of these birds. These are like rock stars to them and it spurs an interest, like a passion for the wild," said Wood.
The festival will conclude Sunday, so if you're interested in checking out all of the birds found here in the Coastal Bend this time of year, just head out to the South Texas Botanical Gardens.
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