POWERGRAMS

4 AWC is focused on fun family events like Owl-O-Ween in the fall and the Baby Bird Shower in spring, which help mold people of all ages into wildlife stewards. NEW FOR 2018 Big physical changes began to take shape at the center in 2017. First, an ADA-compliant walkway was installed that extends accessibility to the outdoor enclosures. Second, the center broke ground on a state-of-the-art raptor enclosure, called a mew, that will house a bald eagle and a Eurasian eagle-owl, the largest owl species in the world. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service mandated the basic design specifications for the structure. However, since it will be the permanent home of these birds, the AWC, in partnership with Shelby County, the ADCNR, EBSCO and other supporters, exceeded the guidelines to provide a more spacious home for the newest education ambassadors. "This mew is a big deal for us," Esposito said. When the enclosure opens later this year, it will be only the second facility in the state to house a bald eagle for public educational display. Last year AWC began a partnership with Auburn University graphic design professors and students to develop exhibits and update the facility signs and branding. The center was awarded a Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham grant to "transform those ideas into reality." AWC has been working with the Cornell Ornithology Lab on the design and installation of an interactive exhibit utilizing Cornell's proprietary e-bird tracker technology. "This new exhibit will be only the third in the state of Alabama utilizing this interactive technology," Adair said. "We want the visitor experience at the center to be strong and positive," Esposito said. "We want people to come and not only see the birds we're rehabbing, but understand what we do, and why we're doing that. We'd also like to have more displays on the impact of humans on the environment and why it's important to have state parks, like Oak Mountain, so close to the city of Birmingham, where animals and birds can thrive and have a sanctuary from development." SUPPORTING AWC AWC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that receives no state or federal funding. The center is supported primarily through membership dues, individual and corporate donations, and grants. "There are a lot of nonprofits out there," Esposito said. "But we're one of the few organizations in the country that does what we do, and we have very dedicated supporters." The center helps thousands of Alabamians and birds each year with only six full-time employees. The staff relies heavily on partnerships, donations and volunteers to do its vital conservation and education work. "For everyone here, it's a labor of love," Adair said. From "all-nighters" when staff members sleep in their Vice president of the AWC board of directors, Esposito helped build water feature outside the center's offices.

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