Gone to the birds

by John

I've been wanting to write this for the last week, but various Cub Scouting and family activities have taken my time. Now I have a few moments to bore you with my falconry. ;)

The falconry club in Utah hosts an annual competition for falconers to show off their falcons. Those of us with owls, eagles, and hawks get to watch. Whether or not you participate in the competition, you bring your birds to show, talk, and have a good time. This year was no exception, and there were quite a few uncommon birds. I thought I would share a few of them with you.

We have an Aplomodo falcon from South America. He's a bit larger than my American Kestrel, but equally beautiful. I love the orange and dark brown colors on this little guy; he's all ready for Halloween! Just like all falcons, this little guy is fast. The smaller falcons put on quite an acrobatic show when they are hunting. Their agility is amazing!

Next is a Tundra Gyrfalcon. These are from Canada and the Arctic regions of Earth, and are a little larger than a Peregrine falcon. Polar Bears are supposed to be white, but they always seem to be more of a cream color. The Tundra Gyr is most definitely white. The only other color is a little black on the edges of wing feathers. All Gyrs are aggressive; they will pursue their quary longer than other falcons. This Gyr was quite talkative; at first I thought someone had brought a Sea Gull.

A Saker is another falcon similar to the Gyr, except they are from the middle east. These are very popular in the middle east. Interesting enough, the owner of the Tundra Gyr also owned the Saker. These two received quite a bit of attention.

Last is the little lady. I love Screech Owls. They aren't allowed in falconry, so I'll need to add an educational license to have one. I first worked with Screech Owls at Ogden Nature Center. I always looked forward to working with the Screeches. Unfortunately, the raptor rehabilitation program was closed recently. This little lady was incredibly calm; she let the little kids come up and pet her.

Hopefully this encyclopedia entry wasn't too boring.