Owl Prowl

The Owl Prowl is back! An unforgettable night of owl education, food, and friends at Ozark Natural Science Center.

5:30PM: 3-Course Dinner from ONSC’s award-winning chef, Christine Pieper (see detailed menu below)

5:45 - 6:30PM: Presentation about raptor rehabilitation and conservation with Lynn Sciumbato, director of Morning Star Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, joined by Sydney the Barred Owl and Igor the Turkey Vulture

6:45 - 8PM: Presentation about owls, followed by active owl monitoring with Mitchell Pruitt, PhD candidate

As the night grows late, guests will take turns checking the nets and enjoying the campfire in the pavilion. Official programming will end by 8pm, but guests are welcome to stay until monitoring ends (as late as midnight).

Overnight accommodations available, with optional breakfast on Saturday, November 6.

Adults only, but we will make exceptions for mature and interested teenagers.

All proceeds go to support research, citizen science, and education at Ozark Natural Science Center.

No refunds or transfers to other programs. Due to limited ticket availability in our program, all tickets must be paid for prior to the event. Thank you for your understanding!

About the Instructors:

Lynn Sciumbato is a federally licensed wildlife rehabilitator and founder of the Morning Star Rehabilitation Center. She has been rehabilitating wildlife for more than 3 decades. Several years ago, she restricted her work to bird rehabilitation. Lynn was a biology teacher at Rogers High School for more than 20 years.

Igor the Turkey Vulture and Sydney the Barred Owl are residents at Morningstar Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. During wildlife rehabilitation, the goal is always to release the animal, but animals like Igor and Sydney had health issues that prevented their release back into the wild. They are both ambassadors and educators who go with Lynn to schools, parks, and education events.

Mitchell Pruitt has had a passion for birds and the natural world from a young age. As an undergrad, he piloted a study of Northern Saw-whet Owls along with his professor and mentor. This experience, along with an internship at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, led him to continue his career path and pursue a PhD studying owls. In addition to several other areas of research, Mitchell conducts annual monitoring at ONSC of Northern Saw-whet Owls.

Covid-19 Statement:

ONSC is committed to protecting the health and wellbeing of our staff and visitors. All ONSC staff are fully vaccinated. However, as many of our visitors are youth, ONSC staff and volunteers continue to maintain safety measures including the use of cloth face coverings while indoors, physical distancing, hand hygiene, and enhanced cleaning protocols.

Dinner Menu:

Appetizer: Polenta Bites with artichoke, roasted winter greens, and garlic

First course: Pureed potato, leek, and white bean soup & bread sticks

Main Course: Chicken and butternut lasagna with a side of charred lemon dressed romaine

Dessert: Raw walnut & chai spiced apple cake

Gluten-free and Vegetarian Options