ZANESVILLE – Netflix debuted a dark comedy series called “Sirens” in May 2025, featuring Kevin Bacon, Julianne Moore, and Glenn Howerton. It has a surprising connection to the 179th Muskingum County Fair.
Jonathan Wood, a master falconer, has a collection of raptors, or bird of prey, like eagles, hawks, owls, falcons, and vultures.
One of his birds, a peregrine falcon named Frightful, was the main animal actor in one of Sirens’ early episodes. She portrayed Barnaby, a fictitious falcon with an integral role in the story’s plot.
She, along with around 12 more birds of prey, will be a part of Wood’s Extreme Raptors show during the fair.
“We’re looking forward to getting out there,” Wood told the Times Recorder Aug. 5.
The birds will be demonstrated in flight attached to lines, if the location is suitable and the weather cooperates. If power lines are too close or if it’s too windy, then the birds will have to stay grounded, he said.
Some winds can be strong enough that the birds can’t withstand them, adding the birds also cannot face west for extended periods an it’s damaging and disorienting.
Wood’s shows involve participation, so some audience members will get to interact with the birds and have their photos taken.
“It’s fun, it’s funny and it’s educational,” Wood explained. “People learn a lot, and they laugh a lot.”
Wood, now 69, started training falcons when he was 12, and has presented more than 20,000 shows in his career. He’s been on the road doing shows for 30-plus years. He has taken his birds to every state except Hawaii, and even participated in the Alaska state fair a couple years ago.
Extreme Raptors shows will take place at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Aug. 10-14 and 16, as well as 11 a.m. and 3 and 8 p.m. Aug. 15. All shows will be on the west end of the fairgrounds.
Visitors will see two new busilding at this year’s fair. A new bathroom at the southern entrance was completed earlier in 2025 and a new Old Steam amd Gas building.
Shawn Digity is a reporter for the Zanesville Times Recorder. He can be emailed at sdigity@gannett.com or found on X at @ShawnDigityZTR
This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Extreme Raptors show at the 2025 Muskingum Co. fair has a connection to a Netflix series
Reporting by Shawn Digity, Zanesville Times Recorder / Zanesville Times Recorder
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