Birds Of Prey Swoop Into Alley Pond

They didn't bring rifles, bows or peashooters, but some of the country's best hunters visited the Alley Pond Environmental Center on Saturday as part of its Talons! A Bird of Prey Experience exhibit.

Master falconer Lorrie Schumacher and her daughter, Talon Skye, brought a ferocious flock, including a Harris Hawk, a Barred Owl, a Lanner Falcon and a Red-Tailed Hawk, from their upstate home to show attendees, who gawked at the feathered creatures and their tricks.

A favorite of British nobility, Lanner Falcons appear grey or brownish and have a reddish back. They love the open country and like to soar in at high speeds and grab their prey, Schumacher said.

Most raptors search for food alone, but the Harris Hawk prefers to travel with family members in packs. John James Audubon, the famous 19th Century orinthologist who attempted to document all the birds in the U.S., named the species after Edward Harris, his financial supporter.

Schumacher told a story about a baby hawk who snatched a rabbit, but learned to regret it. The youngster locked its talons into the rabbit's behind, but couldn't let go. The rabbit then dragged the lightweight bird through the woods and into a bunny hole.

The Barred Owl is the only species in the U.S. that has brown eyes. It hunts by sight and sound and does not migrate if it can find good food -- mostly mice and voles -- in one location.

Schumacher also displayed a Red-Tailed Hawk, a favorite of falconers. These voracious carnivores are opportunistic eaters that will dine on anything from rodents to snakes to insects. They also kill other birds.

The exhibit was informal. Schumacher and her daughter talked about their specimens and performed some tricks with them. Then, meeting attendees were invited to play falconer and hold the critters themselves.

Please view the accompanying slideshow to learn more about the event.