Discussion
Hi, does anyone have any experience of keeping owls?
We had friends over lastnight and one of the chaps is a falconer and has been hand rearing barn owls and eagle owls for a number of years.
The whole thing fascinates me and he has offered to take me out hunting with them, can't wait!
I've flown harris hawks before but it's owls that that I really love.
He has offered me an owl if I enjoy the experience.
We don't have a particularly large garden but we do live in the countryside with fields and woods very close by.
So plenty of room to actually fly one.
So, basically, I'm just after any advice/tips that you can share.
Either tell me it's hard work and a total pain or tell me to go for it and get a feathery friend
We had friends over lastnight and one of the chaps is a falconer and has been hand rearing barn owls and eagle owls for a number of years.
The whole thing fascinates me and he has offered to take me out hunting with them, can't wait!
I've flown harris hawks before but it's owls that that I really love.
He has offered me an owl if I enjoy the experience.
We don't have a particularly large garden but we do live in the countryside with fields and woods very close by.
So plenty of room to actually fly one.
So, basically, I'm just after any advice/tips that you can share.
Either tell me it's hard work and a total pain or tell me to go for it and get a feathery friend
I have seen an Eagle Owl kill a Heron (and yes I know Herons aren't legal quarry). You have to be very dedicated to be a falconer and it involves a lot of commitment. A mate of mine has 4 birds of prey and I reckon he must spend 2 to 3 hours a day on them. An Eagle Owl is bloody heavy to carry round for a couple of hours! Owls are very difficult to train and not an ideal first bird.
Interesting you say that. My mates Barn Owl is mental where as the Eagle Owl is a dozy laid back thing and can be quite affectionate. Saying that the Barn Owl is a rescue and his high speed collision with a car at an early age may have had some affect on his mental stability. He can't fly that well and only has one good eye so not up to being returned to the wild. He also has a pair of Red Tail Hawks which seem to be a far more manageable proposition.
I would suggest you attend a handler's course before committing to any type of owl as traits vary from species to species. If there is a bird of prey centre near to you, it may be worth asking if they run such courses. However, Nightmare, I take your boobook owl and raise you (or should that be lower as it's much smaller?) Little Owl:
Meet Geoffrey
Meet Geoffrey
oh he is absolutely adorable!
thats the teeniest little owl I think i've ever seen, i just love little owls
noisy buggers tho.....this is Dropzone
http://youtu.be/6bzunSrVfIs
thats the teeniest little owl I think i've ever seen, i just love little owls
noisy buggers tho.....this is Dropzone
http://youtu.be/6bzunSrVfIs
As already suggested go to a falconers(owls too) day at your closest birds of prey centre
Talk to the people who run them
I'd point you to Newent(Glos) but for the fact that you are too far off - by a lot
Even small owls need dedication
I love birds but know my limits
If you go ahead all the best and i would imagine it is also very rewarding
I have heard it say that Harris hawks are the easiest BoP to train and owls are the hardest but that's not first hand experience from me
Talk to the people who run them
I'd point you to Newent(Glos) but for the fact that you are too far off - by a lot
Even small owls need dedication
I love birds but know my limits
If you go ahead all the best and i would imagine it is also very rewarding
I have heard it say that Harris hawks are the easiest BoP to train and owls are the hardest but that's not first hand experience from me
We have a local Owl man (he's actually so much more and trains birds and animals for TV, film etc) and Geoffrey the little owl is one of his. He's done a couple of owl birthday parties for my son; it's awesome to watch 4 and 5 year olds interacting with and watching the owls and other birds of prey. He runs handler courses in Derbyshire and his website is: http://www.honeybank.co.uk
Some of his other trained birds:
Gilbert the barn owl
(He was directed to land on my father-in-law's camera!)
Mickey the scops owl from Borneo
(and you thought Geoffrey was sweet!)
And Charley the peregrine falcon
However, if anyone offers you one of these...
Run like the wind. It's a spectacled owl and they're not very bright and very difficult to train. They do have bags of personality but won't be able to fly properly for the first two years of their lives. This is Trevor and I think he's fab.
Some of his other trained birds:
Gilbert the barn owl
(He was directed to land on my father-in-law's camera!)
Mickey the scops owl from Borneo
(and you thought Geoffrey was sweet!)
And Charley the peregrine falcon
However, if anyone offers you one of these...
Run like the wind. It's a spectacled owl and they're not very bright and very difficult to train. They do have bags of personality but won't be able to fly properly for the first two years of their lives. This is Trevor and I think he's fab.
Mobile Chicane said:
An adult eagle owl could easily take out a small cat or dog, not to mention predate lambs and game birds.
I wouldn't fancy my chances against one, either.My mate Mark has one, along with another 6 of a couple of different breeds. Or had at least, I've not heard how he's been getting on with them recently.
When I helped him move, I walked past the stable he had the eagle owl in, and glanced in.
Jumped about 3 feet back after seeing the evil swine staring at me. Talons bigger than my fingers.
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