Halloween is a Hoot at Tracy Aviary this October

Tracy Aviary is bringing back a popular fall event. Returning this year is the aviary’s special Halloween Hoot program, scheduled for the last two weekends of October.

On Oct. 22-23 and 29-31, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., residents are invited to visit Tracy Aviary for Halloween-themed activities that are more than just “for the birds.”

Tracy Aviary Public Relations spokesperson Abby Christiansen said the activities would be education disguised for the fall holiday as fun for all ages.

“It really is a fun event for the whole family,” Christiansen said. “Fall is a cool time, so the birds are more active.”

This will be the fourth year Tracy Aviary, 1300 South 589 East in Liberty Park, has put on the Halloween Hoot.

Residents may expect trick-or-treating for the children, a scavenger hunt based on bird trivia, a spook-tacular bird show, story time, face painting for children and Halloween-themed crafts.

The birds will also have the opportunity to trick-or-treat during the event for pumpkins scattered throughout the bird exhibits.

This year, a new activity added to the event line-up is a tour of the Aviary’s Haunted Owl Forest, which features eight different species of owl.

The owl exhibit was newly opened this summer and showcases great gray owls, saw-whet owls, long and short-eared owls, great horned owls and barn owls, which are native to Utah.

Admission to the event is $7 for adults, $6 for students and seniors, $5 for children, 3-12 years old, and free for kids 2-years-old and younger.

Christiansen said the Halloween Hoot event is a great time to come out and experience all that Tracy Aviary has to offer.

“All of the fun extra activities are free with admission,” Christiansen said.

In addition, on Oct. 20 and 21, Tracy Aviary will host day long fall break camps for children –in first through fourth grade, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with the “Eat, Screech and Be Scary” and “Sweets, Treats and Tweets” programs.

Tracy Aviary is open year round and maintains a collection of approximately 400 birds representing about 135 species, many of which are considered rare or endangered.

For more information about Tracy Aviary or the upcoming Halloween Hoot event, visit the website at www.tracyaviary.org.