The

HUNT FOR A BIRD THAT DOESN'T EXIST

GREAT

FOLLY HUNT

HUNTING

SEASON IN SEWARD, NE

HUNTINGSEASON SEWARD, NE

JUNE 1 - LABOR DAY

2024

THE HUNT

THE PRAIRIE FOLLY MYTH

In 1867, the year the United States purchased Alaska from Russia, and also the year that the town of Seward, Nebraska was founded, the Prairie Folly, a small bird of the great plains grasslands, was thought to have become extinct. The Folly was the only bird in the world with ears, and had sometimes been nicknamed the Secretary Bird, because it often appeared to listen to other birds. It made its nest in the tangle of tall prairie grasses. In winter, the Folly migrated from the midwestern plains to the Danish West Indies, which would later become the American Virgin Islands. The Folly has not been seen or heard in over 150 years. Then, in 2023, the avian world was stunned when the Prairie Folly was rediscovered in Seward, Nebraska!

DISCOVER THE BIRDS

Imagine a great treasure hunt that takes you from one end of town, to the other. Even to another town in Seward County! Epic! If you choose to hunt for the elusive Folly you’ll be like Indiana Jones, or more appropriately, Nebraska Jones––you’ll decipher obscure clues, travel to exotic locations (within Seward County) and search for treasure.

But instead of actual treasure, you’ll be searching for a prairie Folly––the only bird in the world with ears. Experts are very definite in telling us that birds don’t have ears, but the Folly is a very rare bird. So rare, in fact, that it doesn’t even exist. That’s pretty rare.

WHERE TO START

Buy a $5 Folly Hunting License from participating retailers in Seward and receive a clue as to the hiding place of a bird. The bird may be mythical, but a Seward artist handcrafted seven birds––all with ears––and these birds are very real. Seven Follys, seven retailers, seven clues.

If you thought it would be difficult to find a bird that doesn’t exist, wait until you try to solve the clues, which are as clever and difficult as in an Escape Room. Hey, at least there’s no time limit.

HOW TO WIN

Yard signs will alert Hunters when you’re close. There are QR codes on the signs, which rewards you with what that particular Folly looks like as well as giving you fun factoids about the tall grass prairie, the town of Seward, and William Henry Seward.

Take selfies with all seven Follys in the wild, show any merchant guide, and you’ll receive a beautiful but completely meaningless award certificate written in Latin. Or possibly Greek, we’re not sure. Anyway, the certificate is total nonsense. It looks very official and impressive, though, which is pretty cool. Even cooler, you will also be eligible to participate in a drawing for a Seward County gift card!

LEARN SOME HISTORY

Suddenly, people are talking about Seward’s Folly again.

We all remember this from high school History class, right? How Secretary of State, William Henry Seward, facilitated the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867. At the time, many thought it was ridiculous to spend so much––$7 million––on a place so remote, snowy and frozen. They dubbed it ‘Seward’s Folly’. Of course, Seward had the last laugh when it turned out he paid about 2¢ an acre for Alaska. 2¢!

It’s because of William Henry Seward that we named this bird a Folly.

You’d be lucky to find this elusive bird at the base of alfalfa or wild prairie grasses, eating jelly bean seeds, popcorn thistle and ever present root beer kernels. You’d be lucky to find the bird at all, ever, because avian experts all agree––the prairie Folly doesn’t exist.