On Saturday, October 22nd, the weather presented us with a perfect October morning, the birds were chilly but cooperative, and everyone – young and old – had fun while learning!
Following a brief history of Falconry, which dates back at least 4,000 years, Zooey Zullo from New England Falconry introduced us to a Lanner falcon, a Harris hawk, and a burrowing owl. She explained the strict rules and regulations in place to protect the birds.
Horus, the Lanner falcon, sported a hood that allowed him to remain calm in a strange environment. To hunt at high speed–more than 180 miles per hour–a falcon’s eyesight is 8 times better than humans and a new environment can create sensory overload.
The Harris hawk–at 2 pounds, twice the size of the Lanner Falcon–is a majestic hunter. He sat on Zooey’s gloved hand while she shared stories of the world of hunting with birds.
The diminutive burrowing owl was the crowd-pleaser. We were encouraged to stroke his soft feathers as part of his training regimen. Compared to other raptors, an owl’s feathers are soft to their flight quiet, an distinct advantage to night hunters.
Thank you, Zooey, for sharing these amazing birds with us!