Everyone told us that if we only did one activity during our stay at Adare Manor, it should be falconry. So when Adare County Manor Pursuits invited us to try it out, there was no way we could turn them down. We had no idea what to expect when we met Liam on a drizzly Wednesday morning & saw all these majestic birds of pray chilling on their perches. Over the course of 90 minutes, we met each bird, got to hold them & then went on a great walk through the woods with Rocco, a hawk that flew freely from tree to tree & back to our glove.
First up was Noddy, a Dark Breasted Barn Owl. She was so sweet & so happy to be around people. She was, by far, my favorite – how could you not love her? Just look at the video I shot below, of her contently shaking her tail feather (that’s her equivalent of a dog wagging its tail).
Next up was Laila, a sweet Lanner Falcon. I loved the blue colors in her beak. She may look small & sweet, but Lanner Falcon’s are some of the only types of birds to actually hunt in pairs or, sometimes in the winter months, even in small packs.
B’s favorite was Oscar, the giant Eurasian Eagle Owl. It’s important that, when holding the birds, you hold your hand higher than your shoulder (so they don’t walk down your arm). Luckily, I got an assist from Liam holding Oscar because he was heavy. Also, yes, it’s a myth that an owl can turn their head’s all the way around – they can turn them backward, but can’t make a complete rotation. Oscar might be impressive, but his lady friend would be even more impressive: females can have up to a 6′ wing span!
Ceasar is a Common Buzzard native to Ireland & Che is a Mexican Striped Owl. We also met Tiny, a White Faced Scops Owl. Like Noddy, Tiny was more feather than body, which makes them incredibly lightweight.
Undoubtedly the highlight of all the birds was Saoirse (which means “freedom” in Irish), a bald eagle. While she hasn’t yet gotten her white head & chest, she is 100% majestic Americana. And also really, really heavy to hold! When Adare Manor Pursuits got her as an eaglet, they held a naming contest & the children of Adare decided on her name. I think it was a very fitting tribute from our friends across the pond! Her plumage will turn white when she’s between 4 & 5 years old – she’s only 2 years old now, just a baby.
After Liam had safely returned all the birds to their pens (they are transported in kennels, but each live in a huge enclosures that allow them to fly freely), he grabbed Rocco, a Harris’ Hawk. He & Rocco have such a great relationship, he can let him fly freely & with a simple whistle (& a little fresh meat on Liam’s glove), he flies right back. It was amazing to see a bird of prey up so close, flying freely. Rocco was a little stubborn at one point, content with just chilling on a branch high up in a tree , but after a minute or two decided that he wanted his snack & came back down. Birds are very attuned to their weight & if they’re even a tenth of a pound overweight, they won’t eat. I wish I had that kind of discipline!
The falconry experience at Adare Manor was incredible! Falconry started as a means of hunting, using trained wild birds of prey to hunt, but is more popular now as a way to introduce people to these majestic birds. If you find yourself at Adare Manor, or elsewhere around the world where falconry is popular, absolutely take advantage of the opportunity to meet these beautiful animals.
**Note: Thank you to Adare Manor Pursuits, who provided our awesome falconry experience complimentary; of course, all opinions are my own.**
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