1. Falcons and Falconry School Links Programme

2. A falcon is a bird A bird has light, hollow bones No teeth and use their beaks to break up food Feathers insulate and protect their bodies Lays eggs

3. A falcon is a bird of prey A bird of prey eats meat They use their feet to capture prey Excellent vision Sharp hooked beak Powerful feet with sharp talons

4. Types of birds of prey Eagles Osprey Kites Hawks Buzzards Harriers Vultures Falcons

5. Characteristics of falcons Powerful, fast flyers Tapered tails Notched beak for tearing food Do not build their own nests Dark eyes

6. Types of falcons There are approximately 37 species of falcons Some examples are Peregrine Gyrfalcon Kestrel Saker Falcon

7. Falconry Falconry is the art of hunting wild animals, for food or sport, with trained birds of prey. Falconry probably began on the Steppes of Asia 3000- 2000BC Falconry is one of the oldest sports in the world

8. Falconry Falcons are not the only birds of prey used in falconry Eagles are used to catch large prey Hawking is another term for falconry – often used when a hawk is flown

9. The Falconer It takes many years of practise to become a skilled falconer The falconer trains the falcon and a close bond is formed between falconer and bird. Falconry is a humane way for hunting

10. The art of falconry This photograph shows a falconer using a lure A lure is an imitation of a bird or animal that the bird of prey hunts in the wild A lure is swung around the falconers head, the bird will swoop to catch the lure The lure can be used for exercising the bird or to call the bird of prey back to the falconer

11. Decline of falconry Falconry declined with the invention of the gun Birds of prey were no longer needed to catch food for people Falconry survived though to present day as it became a sport of the nobility

12. Falconry today Falconry is now a popular pastime in many countries 78 countries were represented at the recent International Festival of Falconry In 2010 falconry was officially recognised as part of world human cultural heritage Falconry is used to control pest birds and animals in urban areas, landfills, commercial buildings, and airports.

13. Acknowledgements Many thanks to the following photographers for images used in this PowerPoint : Chris Johnson Stig Olsen Linda Wright Andres Lopez Peinado Andrew Lopez Sanchez Berta Peinado Ramirez Lee O’Dwyer Andrew Dixon Rob Palmer Funded by the Environment Agency, Abu Dhabi and supported by Mongolian Ministry of Nature Environment and Tourism. Implemented by International Wildlife Consultants, UK and Wildlife and Conservation Center, Mongolia