The Berkshire Nature Talk Series returns with a program of creatures most of us only see from a distance: live raptors, up close. Trish Marki of Silent Wings Raptor Rehab and Education introduces us to owls, hawks, and other birds of prey, to talk about what makes them such formidable hunters, and why so many species are struggling to hold their ground.

Marki will bring several live raptors into the hall for the evening, animals who can’t be released back to the wild and now work as ambassadors for their species. Audiences will get a close look at the adaptations that make these birds such effective predators, alongside a frank discussion of the conservation pressures working against them, from habitat loss to the slower, less visible hand of natural selection under changing conditions. It’s a program built as much for kids of all ages meeting an owl for the first time as for longtime birders who have only ever spotted these species in flight.

Silent Wings Raptor Rehab and Education is a program of the Wildlife Institute of Eastern New York a nonprofit built around a simple idea: people protect what they know. Its programs introduce children and adults alike to some of the most striking animals native to their own backyard, raptors most of us encounter only as a shadow overhead or a call at dusk.

This event is free for West Stockbridge Historical Society members and open to the public with a suggested $10 donation for non-members. Cash only at the door. Seating is limited to 80 attendees. To reserve your spot, go to weststockbridgehistory.org