Wings of America: Up Close and Personal with Birds of Prey

Fascinating and Educational

If you are visiting Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee this year, be sure to visit the Wings of America exhibit and show. It is a fascinating glimpse at America’s birds of prey, including the Golden Eagle and Bald Eagle. The show is captivating to kids and adults alike: the ages in our party ranged from 4 to 77, and we all loved it! My preschooler was especially interested in the birds; she asked lots of questions during the show and while we were visiting them next to the theater. Dollywood features a huge aviary for bald eagles that cannot be released to the wild – you can see two or three eagles, plus their enormous nests.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, nor am I affiliated with Dollywood or the American Eagle Foundation. I am an affiliate of Amazon, and will receive a small commission if the Amazon links on this page are used to make a purchase.

Although I have no problem with a day full of fun for its own sake, it was nice to get a dose of education, too! The Wings of America show is perfect for kids who are studying birds or animals. Among those featured are a pair of Harris Hawks, a Barn Owl, Screech Owl, Vulture, Caracara, and a Golden Eagle. The presentation includes facts and history about each bird, all of which are native to North America. The last segment is dedicated to the Bald Eagle, and is particularly moving. Don’t forget to bring a dollar or two for Tuck, the African Pied Crow! (You’ll see what I mean at the end of the show.)

The videos below were taken with my iPhone while I was sitting in the second row. I apologize for the quality, but I wanted to include them here to give you a preview of what you will see.

Wings of America is produced by the American Eagle Foundation in partnership with Dollywood. Part of its mission is to rehabilitate injured birds of prey, and also to breed them. The goal is to release the birds into the wild whenever possible.

There is a “pre-show” video about the history and mission of the American Eagle Foundation before the live show. I recommend finding a good seat 10 or 15 minutes before show time so you can relax in the shade and watch the video. (If the park is particularly busy on the day you visit, you may want to grab your lunch and find a good seat 20 or 30 minutes early.) One last note: you must purchase admission to Dollywood in order to see Wings of America.

Bald Eagle image from flickr.com by John Bruckman, and Screech Owl image from flickr.com by Angela N; both used under the Creative Commons License.