Measuring Up

Today I volunteered to staff a Master Naturalist booth at an Environmental Expo. I wanted to do more than just stand there and answer questions. I've worked at booths before so I knew what draws people in. Candy draws people in. I had a bag of bit o honey and a bag of fruit starburst. I've got only a handful of starburst left so I guess I predicted very well. I had heard about a couple who worked at a bird booth at the state fair. Their idea was to have kids measure their arms and compare their size to birds. I asked them about it (hoping I could just borrow their materials). They didn't have the project completed yet. I didn't have time to make wing posters. So I used a survey measuring tape that I use when I monitor the river quality. I had people stretch out their arms. I measured their arms and compared it to a chart of raptor wing spans I had made. Here is a list of the raptors and wing spans: Bald eagles-7'1", Golden Eagles 7'0", Osprey 5'6", Turkey Vulture 5'6", Great Gray Owl 4'9", Red Tailed Hawk-4'8", Great Horned Owl-4'2", Barred Owl 3'8", Northern Harrier Hawk 3'6", Red Shouldered Hawk 3'2", Broad Winged Hawk 2'0", and Kestrel 2'1". I planned this for the children. As I measured the kids, I could see a look in some adult eyes that begged to be asked to be measured. I think I measured the wingspan of about 100 people today. Only two older men turned me down. The biggest wingspans I measured were 6'7" and two guys had those. They were tall men but were not quite eagle sized. My smallest was a broad wing hawk. Most women were either a turkey vulture or an osprey. I told them they could choose which one. 90% chose osprey. I myself am that size. If I had to choose which one, I agree an osprey is more attractive but I'm not sure I want to eat raw fish. And I like the way turkey vultures soar in a tippy fashion and how they hunt with their noses but I couldn't eat decomposing flesh. I guess I am not raptor material. I had a really fun day talking to people and measuring their arms. Several people said being measured really put the bird size into perspective for them. If I had it to do over again, I would include more than just raptors just so I would have more options between 5'6" and 7'.