Falconry Displays

It has taken me a while to get over the passing of Bo our Indian Eagle Owl who we had for 38 years. A passing of an era – I thought at one moment she may outlive me. But her absence has left a big hole.

She was the most amazing demo bird and once I had got the hang of flying an owl – it took me several seasons – she went from strength to strength. Owls are not like hawks and falcons – they need a different method of training and I often used to say to guests that they are tamed rather than trained.

It is not quite true because food still has to be the motivation for them to do anything but since they are hand reared or imprinted from a young age they are excessively tame seeing their human companion almost as a parent.

They are sensitive to loud sounds – they have excellent hearing and with both eyes facing forward – in the facial disc – they have little peripheral vision and can panic on hearing on hearing a loud noise like a motorbike.

So introduction to shows is a  slow and gentle process and building up to flying at a show takes time.  Bo was coming to shows to sit on or in her canvas t-pee long before I started  flying her.

But once I had the confidence she was flown almost everywhere and was always centre stage – people love owls. She would also chase the dummy rabbit. I wanted people to see owls as highly evolved hunters and not just as a cuddly toy.

She is in my book ‘Falconry – aspects of care…’ on the section on casting – not quite in keeping with the title but nonetheless useful to show that particular hold in the absence of an available Harris hawk.

Here are some picture of Bo from down the years.

At Blenheim

At an Army fun Day. Bo sitting relaxed in her t-pee

At a wedding – flying to a guest.

At home with me – many years ago!