Good Kid Bird Movies

Wouldn't it be great if we could get a bird conservation movie into the homes of millions of Americans? What if it were a kids movie from a major studio...something that taught people about the importance of taking care of birds and wildlife in the urban environment? What if somebody else made the movie and it didn't cost conservation organizations a cent?

Pretty much this very thing is happening this summer with the the theater release of two major motion pictures--Over the Hedge and Hoot. Over the Hedge
is a computer animated kids movie by Dreamworks that will premiere May 19. It features woodland wildlife surprised to find a new subdivision in their territory when they wake up from hibernating through the winter. Think of it as an environmentally friendly version of Shrek. Hoot is a live-action movie that premiered last weekend about some kids that try to save a neighborhood Burrowing Owl from bulldozers. Its brought to you by the same folks who made Holes--another recent classic kids movie.

How about partnering with a local theatre to have a kids showing of these films, starting out with a short talk about the importance of taking care of wildlife in our neighborhoods. Give out some backyard birding handouts. Make it a fun family event. Shoot, maybe your local birding club or Audubon chapter can even find a way to use this to raise some money.

If Hollywood is going to hand us this kind of gift, we oughta take advantage of it!