Most of the research work we do takes place in the summer as we need good weather for cameras and equipment. Over the winter most of the falcons are flown at wild quarry. We believe this is a much healthier and more ethical way to keep raptors fit and content than simply exercising them to lure.
We have a limited number of places available for you to accompany us on some of these hunting trips, giving you the opportunity to experience the ancient art of falconry 1st hand.
Please see the next section "Hawk Experience" to see what we offer
Some of the birds we use include:
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine has the reputation of being one of nature’s top predators, a reputation based on its deadly accuracy. It is actually the fastest creature on earth! In level flight the Peregrine is not even as fast as a pigeon but in its death defying dive, known as a stoop, it reaches awe inspiring speeds. A US skydiver using a special suit to make him go faster recorded an air speed of 220 mph and he wasn’t convinced the bird was really trying. We fly several Peregrines and we think they are pretty hard to beat. To observe the power of a Peregrine at close quarters is awesome.
Gyr Falcon
The Gyr falcon was once considered the most valuable thing on earth – a
king’s ransom. This was in part due to their beauty but also because they come from arctic regions and acquiring one involved a major expedition. In nature, like most arctic predators, the Gyr uses size and tenacity. If the quarry is over snow and ice it’s not going to get away if you can keep up with it, so the Gyr is very fast in level flight and relentless in pursuit. In captivity they tend to be very playful and it is thought this is because they are a bit more intelligent than most Falcons.
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