Meet Our Team!
Courtney Douds
Founder, Master Falconer, Environmental Educator
Raptor Jawns was founded by Courtney Douds, a Master Falconer with over twenty years of experience working with birds of prey. Courtney became obsessed with falconry after seeing the Royal Tenenbaums in theaters as a child, sparking a lifelong passion. She has volunteered at rehabilitation and research centers focusing on raptors, worked as an instructor at Ireland's School of Falconry, worked in abatement--falconry pest control–on a garbage dump in New Jersey, hunted with the Kazakh berkutchi golden eagle hunters of Mongolia (shown in the photo above), and has hunted with red-tails in the United States since becoming a licensed falconer in 2011.
Medea, the Red-Tailed Hawk
Buteo Jamaicensis
Medea is a female red-tailed hawk that hatched in the spring of 2018. She is non-releasable due to failure to thrive, as she was twice brought to a local rehabilitation center starving and emaciated despite no identifiable physical injury. Now she lives a relaxed life as an educational bird.
Red-tailed hawks live throughout North America - including in the Philadelphia city limits! You can see them perched, hunting, or soaring along our highways, in our parks, and even throughout crowded neighborhoods, as they have adapted wonderfully to urban life.
Hecate, the Eastern Screech Owl
Megascops asio
Hecate is a female Eastern screech owl who hatched in April 2020. As a future animal ambassador, she was imprinted (raised by Courtney from her time as a chick) in order to be more comfortable around people. She presents a charming contrast to Medea in both size, personality, species, and cuteness.
Eastern screech owls, like red-tailed hawks, are native to Pennsylvania and found in parts of Philadelphia, though are more often recognized by their trilling whinny-like call rather than seen. They can come in gray or red plumage; Hecate is a red phase screech owl.
Zephyr, the Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
Zephyr is a male peregrine falcon who hatched in 2009. He is a captive-bred human imprint who was used in a breeding program for the first 15 years of his life until joining the Raptor Jawns team in 2024. Zephyr is the only bird of Raptor Jawns that the public can interact with!
Peregrine falcons are the fastest animal on the planet, reaching speeds of up to 240 mph. They feature a "malar stripe," their distinctive dark markings around the face that reflect the sunlight when flying in bright skies. Zephyr's plumage sets him apart from the usual tan-breasted peregrines we see around Philly, as he is an arctic subspecies from a line of peregrines of the Queen Charlotte islands.