The bald eagle swoops through the crowd, wings flapping. Though it’s not a living, breathing creature, the puppet crafted and controlled by puppeteer Hobey Ford looks and moves like the real thing.

Ford will take the stage with a host of animal puppets at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. tonight in Smith Wilkes Hall as part of the Family Entertainment Series. His show, “Animalia,” teaches animal behavior through art.

“ ‘Animalia’ is a ballet of animals. We follow a caterpillar as it turns into a butterfly,” Ford said. “The puppets don’t talk. For the most part, they are acting like the real animals.”