The Audubon Center for Birds of Prey in Maitland has announced the winners of a haiku contest celebrating Florida’s two native vulture species, the turkey vulture and the black vulture, with the winning poems set to be printed and installed along the Center’s storywalk, just in time for the upcoming Spooky Season.
According to the official press release, more than 2,700 haikus were submitted for the contest, and 15 were selected as winners. The winning writers are Amanda Bowen, December Cuccaro, Nicki Drumb, Kathryn Jory, Olivia Kafka, Linda Kenyon, Matt Levitas, Katie McFarland, Susan Leslie, Jen Handsel, Paula Hilton, Derlim Sandres, Ian Voves, Katie Craig, and Bonnie Demerjian.
The entries touch on a wide range of vulture-related themes, from the birds’ ecological role as nature’s cleanup crew to their soaring flight patterns, their monogamous mating habits, and lighthearted takes on their bald, unfeathered heads.
A haiku is a three-line poetry form originating in Japan, traditionally following a five-seven-five syllable structure. The Center’s storywalk links poems or book pages in outdoor display cases along a walking path, a format popular with children and adult visitors alike.
Established in 1979, the Center for Birds of Prey is a leader in the rehabilitation of Florida’s native raptors and offers educational programming to the public, including close-up visits with more than 30 ambassador birds, summer camp programs, field trips, and community outreach. The Center’s Raptor Trauma Clinic treats more than 700 injured, sick, and orphaned raptors each year.
The contest announcement was updated in conjunction with International Vulture Awareness Day, which the Center is marking with expanded programming and advance ticket reservations available online.
More information on visiting the Center for Birds of Prey and viewing the storywalk is available HERE.
