COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Cheyenne Mountain State Park, The Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo and the USAA Foundation invite the public to celebrate birds of prey.

Raptors, or birds of prey play an important role in the ecology of our area. Cheyenne Mountain State Park is home to many different raptor species.

On Sunday, Sept. 4, at 2 p.m., at the Prairie Skipper group picnic area,Nature and Raptor Center Director, Diana Miller, will give a presentation featuring live birds – many of which can be found at the park. To top off the presentation, a rehabilitated red tail hawk will be released back into the wild.

One lucky person will be chosen by raffle to release the bird. Raffle tickets will be available for $2 each, and the winner will be drawn during the presentation. You must be present to win.

Tickets go on sale at 1 p.m. and can be purchased up until the drawing.

This is a unique and rare opportunity to hold a hawk and send it on its way back to where it belongs.

The release will only take place if weather permits. Proceeds from the release raffle will go directly to continuing the raptor center’s work in rehabilitating birds of prey.

Following the release, the public is invited to stick around and take part in other bird-related fun.

The Friends of Cheyenne Mountain State Park have worked with The USAA Foundation to provide a daily park pass to active duty or retired military personnel and /or their families for this event. The passes are available to those with a valid military ID on a first come, first served basis on the day of the event and can be picked up at the visitor center.

For non veterans or active-duty military members, the program is free but a valid parks pass is required on all vehicles entering the  park.