Jessica, most education departments at zoos have birds of prey they use for programs. I just signed up to be a docent or voluteer first, then went to college and signed up to be a intern, and now after college I'm a volunteer again. Being an intern I got thrown into handling before gathering any hours.

It's kind of funny because I didn't really like birds all that much when I first started working at the zoo. I wanted to be a carnivor keeper and work with the large cats and canines. I associated all birds with song birds (I lived in the city originally and didn't see any raptors). Then I worked with my first bo.p. an Eastern Screech Owl. I absolutely fell in love with them and pretty much exclusively worked with them. There are some birds in the ed. department that will only co-operate with me and a few others, our Turkey Vulture being one =).