Here at The Animal Talent we work with some exceptional falconers and bird handlers that have spent years honing their craft; working with birds of prey is a real skill.  These fantastic birds have expert keepers with wonderful enrichment in their homes.

 

Birds of prey are majestic creatures both in flight and in situ.  Their appearance evokes all kinds of emotions and really captures an audience’s imagination.

OWLS

 

There are over 200 species of owls. They are mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey and typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons and feathers adapted for silent flight.  Owls are divided into two families: the true (or typical) owl family, Strigidae, and the barn-owl family Tytonidae.

 

Although owls have binocular vision, their large eyes are fixed in their sockets – as are those of most other birds – so they must turn their entire heads to change views. As owls are farsighted, they are unable to clearly see anything within a few centimetres of their eyes. Their far vision, particularly in low light, is exceptionally good however; some can spot prey from half a mile away. 

 

Fun facts; owls can rotate their heads and necks as much as 270° and have fourteen neck vertebrae compared to seven in humans, which makes their necks more flexible. Pretty impressive, we’re sure you’ll agree!

 

Owl plumage is generally cryptic, although several species have facial and head markings, including face masks, ear tufts, and brightly coloured irises. The coloration of the owl’s plumage plays a key role in its ability to sit still and blend into the environment, making it nearly invisible to prey. Owls tend to mimic the coloration and sometimes the texture patterns of their surroundings, the barn owl being an exception.

 

The Elf Owl is the smallest owl and weighs as little as 31g and measures some 13.5cm.  Around the same diminutive length, although slightly heavier, are the lesser known long-whiskered owlet and Tamaulipas pygmy owl.  The largest owls are two similarly sized eagle owls; the Eurasian eagle owl and Blakiston’s fish owl.  The largest females of these species (typically larger than the males) are 71cm long, have a 190cm wingspan and weigh 4.2kg. 

 

We generally associate owls with wisdom and vigilance yet once you start looking around, owls are everywhere, especially in pop culture!  Boot up a video game and it’s possible you’ll find an owl or two.  In the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, a wise owl helps the hero find his way through Hyrule and players of Pokemon can catch all sorts of bird Pokemon, including ones that look suspiciously like owls.  

 

Owls also pop up in commercials, as mascots and in children’s books and TV shows.  The wizards and witches in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series use owls to deliver their mail and, besides Pooh himself, Owl and Rabbit are the only two characters from Winnie-the-Pooh based on real animals (the others were inspired by the author’s son’s stuffed animals). 

EAGLES

 

Eagles are iconic, formidable, and impressively large birds of prey.  Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae.  Most of the 60 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa.  Eagles are not a natural group but denote essentially any kind of bird of prey large enough to hunt sizeable (about 50cm long or more overall) vertebrates.  

 

Eagles are powerfully built prey birds, with heavy heads and beaks. Even the smallest eagles (such as the booted eagle which is comparable in size to a common buzzard or red-tailed hawk) have relatively longer and more evenly broad wings.  They also have more direct, faster flight, despite the reduced size of aerodynamic feathers.  Most eagles are larger than any other raptors apart from some vultures.  

 

The smallest species of eagle weighs around 450g and measures approximately 40cm. The largest species weigh around 4-10kg with a body length of 83-105cm and a wingspan of 182 – 244cm, which is pretty huge!

 

An eagle may resemble a vulture in build and flight characteristics but has a fully feathered (often crested) head and strong muscular legs and feet equipped with powerful curved talons. They also have large hooked beaks for ripping flesh from their prey, which is typically heavier than that of most other birds of prey.  A further difference is in foraging habits: eagles subsist mainly on live prey.

 

Eagle eyes are extremely powerful. It is estimated that the martial eagle, whose eyes are more than two times larger than the human eye, has a visual acuity up to eight times that of humans. 

 

In the UK, we recognise the golden eagle as a traditional sight, particularly in Scotland, where bird watchers and holiday makers are always excited to see this beautiful bird.

 

For centuries people have seen eagles as a symbol of beauty, bravery, courage, honour, pride, determination, and grace. This bird is important and symbolic to humanity because of its incredible characteristics.  They’ve appeared in films (such as Into The Wild, The Rescuers Down Under, and Brothers of the Wind), in TV programmes as well as commercials, and are regularly seen on emblems or coats of arms.  Their presence definitely evokes the symbolism they’ve become known for worldwide. 

FALCONS

 

Falcons are birds of prey, with sharp talons on their feet and sharp curved beaks. They are incredibly skilled predators and their narrow, tapered wings enable them to fly at high speed and change direction rapidly in the air.  There are approximately forty different species of these birds. Falcons are widely distributed on all continents of the world except Antarctica.

Some small falcons with long, narrow wings are called “hobbies” and some which hover while hunting are called “kestrels”. 

 

As is the case with many birds of prey, falcons have exceptional powers of vision; the visual acuity of one species has been measured at 2.6 times that of a normal human. 

 

As with hawks and owls, falcons exhibit sexual dimorphism with females typically larger than males.  The largest falcon is the Gyrfalcon at up to 65cm in length. The smallest falcon species is the Pygmy falcon which measures just 20cm.

 

Peregrine falcons (which we’re most familiar with here in the UK) have been recorded diving at speeds of 200 mph, making them the fastest-moving creatures on Earth.  The fastest recorded dive attained a vertical speed of 240mph.  Their speed is a sight to behold!

 

The Peregrine Falcon appears on the coat of arms of the Isle of Man and it was declared Chicago’s official city bird in 1999, after it began nesting on the city’s skyscrapers.  They’re a respected bird because of their talent and beauty.

 

In Stuart Little 2 the main antagonist of the film was depicted by a falcon and of course in Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children also features the beautiful peregrine falcon.  A highly intelligent bird, the falcon enjoys the enrichment of work and is particularly suitable for working in film and television.

KESTRELS

 

The Kestrel is also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel, or Old World kestrel. Here in the United Kingdom, where no other kestrel species commonly occurs, it is generally just called “kestrel”.

 

Kestrels are a familiar sight with their pointed wings and long tail, hovering beside a roadside verge or perching on a farmer’s fence.  Numbers of kestrels have declined since the 1970s, probably as a result of changes in farming and so it is included on the Amber List. 

 

They are small compared with other birds of prey, but larger than most songbirds.  Common kestrels measure 32–39cm from head to tail with a wingspan of 65–82cm.  Females are noticeably larger with the adult male weighing around 155g on average. The adult female weighs around 184g on average.

 

Their plumage is mainly light chestnut brown with blackish spots on the upper side and buff with narrow blackish streaks on the underside; the remiges are also blackish.  Unlike most raptors, they display sexual colour dimorphism with the male having fewer black spots and streaks, as well as a blue-grey cap and tail. The tail is brown with black bars in females and has a black tip with a narrow white rim in both sexes. All common kestrels have a prominent black malar stripe. The species has pointed wings and a tail that appears pointed and long in flight and fan-shaped when the bird is hovering.  They’re truly beautiful birds.

 

The kestrel is sometimes seen, like other birds of prey, as a symbol of the power and vitality of nature. 

 

A kestrel is one of the main characters in the TV series, The Animals of Farthing WoodKes, directed by Ken Loach, is a remarkable film with a kestrel as a featured role, and of course we see the bird regularly in British wildlife shows.  We’d love to see the kestrel used more in creative media; this is a stunning and well loved bird in the UK.

BUZZARDS

 

Buzzard is the generic name of several species of birds of prey, including some hawks, however in the UK, we’re most familiar with the Common Buzzard.

 

The buzzard is medium to large, with broad rounded long wings which either reach or fall slightly short of the tail tip when perched. They have a short neck and tail.  When gliding and soaring it will often hold its wings in a shallow v-shape and the tail is fanned.  Most buzzards have a somewhat slender bill. 

 

They can appear fairly compact in overall appearance but may also appear large relative to other commoner raptorial birds such as kestrels and sparrowhawks.  The common buzzard measures between 40-58cm in length with a 109-140cm wingspan.  Females are larger than males linearly and weigh about 15% more.  Body mass can show considerable variation.  Buzzards here in Great Britain alone can vary from 427-1183g in males, while females here can range from 486-1370g.

 

Buzzards are variable in colour, from all dark brown to much paler variations. All have dark wingtips and a finely barred tail.

 

The buzzard spirit animal is a symbol of protection and defence. This bird is said to fly into your life as a warning to protect yourself and your loved ones from imminent danger. It is thought to be the embodiment of adaptability in any good or bad situation. This spirit animal teaches us to get through anything as life lies ahead.  We love this symbolism and are sure it can be used in more TV and films.  If you’re interested in working with the glorious buzzard, we’d love to hear your ideas.

KITES

 

Typically a kite is lightly built with a small head, partly bare face and short beak. This magnificently graceful bird of prey is unmistakable with its obviously patterned reddish-brown body, angled wings and deeply forked tail.  Kites generally measure 60-70cm long. Males weigh 800-1200g and females 1000-1600g. Both have a 175–195cm wingspan. 

 

As scavengers, kites are sadly particularly susceptible to poisoning, so their care and feeding is of paramount importance.  

 

We see this beautiful bird of prey more than you may realise throughout the cultural world.  Isis is said (in ancient Egyptian mythology) to have taken the form of a kite in various situations, in order to resurrect the dead.  The kite also figures in several fables by Aesop, which underline its character as a predator, including The Sick Kite, The Kite and the Doves and a variant of The Crow and the Snake

HARRIERS

 

A harrier is any of the several species of diurnal hawks. Harriers characteristically hunt by flying slow and low over open ground, usually grasslands, feeding on small mammals, reptiles or birds. 

 

While males are a pale grey colour. Females and immatures are brown with a white rump and a long, barred tail which give them the name ‘ringtail’.  They are distinctive with long wings, a long narrow tail.  The young of the species are sometimes referred to as ring-tail harriers. 

 

The hen harrier is the most famous in the UK; it is also the most intensively persecuted. Once predating free-range fowl, earning its present name, its effect on the number of grouse is the cause of modern conflict, and threatens its survival in some parts of the UK.

 

The hen harrier is 44–52cm long with a 100–120cm wingspan which is pretty impressive!  Females at 400-600g are heavier than males at 300-400g.

 

Another beautiful bird of prey from the British Isles, if your production is centred around British culture and tradition, you may wish to consider the harrier as your chosen acting bird.

HAWKS

 

Hawks are strong, powerful birds of prey. Their feet are equipped with sharp, curved talons for capturing prey and their strong beaks are hooked.  Swift fliers, some hawks can attain speeds of over 150mph when diving.  When it flies, the hawk flaps its wings rapidly and then uses that momentum to glide smoothly and gracefully through the air.

 

They are widely distributed throughout the world and are found on all continents except Antarctica.

 

UK hawks vary in size and include the most common: the goshawk as well as sparrowhawks and the Harris Hawk.  Unbelievably, hawks can have a wingspan of up to 138cm.

 

In 2005, a method of measuring avian IQ by measuring their innovation in feeding habits was established. Based on this scale, hawks were named among the most intelligent birds. The hawk is very intelligent towards humans and other hawks and therefore is particularly suited to working in studios and on set with people.  Although the hawk is known for being a violent predator, many are gentle and quiet. 

 

Hawks, like most birds, have four types of colour receptors in the eye. These give hawks the ability to perceive not only the visible range but also ultraviolet light.  Other adaptations allow for the detection of polarised light or magnetic fields.

 

In many cultures, the hawk is perceived as a good omen.  This bird represents strength, foresight, clarity, physical health and decisiveness. The hawk’s feather is also considered a divine symbol.  It bears a strong message of your connection with the Universe and celestial guides. 

 

In language, a “war hawk”, or simply “hawk”, is a term used in politics for somebody favouring war, so the symbolism can be varied!  However, widely known for stealth, numerous American sporting clubs (such as the Atlanta Hawks, the Hawthorn Hawks and the Malmö Redhawks) use the bird as an emblem.

 

Whatever the production, birds of prey bring a hint of mystery and a strong presence of power.  They are fantastic species to work with on set and are truly awe inspiring.

We supply professional animal location handlers around the world to ensure you get all the shots you require and, as overseers to ensure the wild is not disturbed, the crew will always be safe and no welfare regulations are ever breached.

 

It isn’t just the animals that are well trained, our team including our handlers are also highly experienced and fully qualified experts in the field. 

 

Your handler will take full control of any animals on set and ensure the entire shoot runs properly. They will also fully manage the welfare of all the animals both on and off set; the safety and welfare of the animals is their prime concern.  All of our handling is strictly force-free and only positive, reward based practices are deployed. This way you can have total confidence that by booking With The Animal Talent everything is taken care of legally, professionally and ethically.

 

The Performing Animals Licence is no longer relevant (it was scrapped in 2019) and has been replaced with the Animal Activity Licence, which we hold.

Our birds of prey are covered by a £5 million Public Liability Insurance policy. 

 

Our expert falconers and bird handlers are able to guide actors and models when required.  Please keep in mind that the majority of birds of prey are nocturnal, so this may affect filming times.

 

If any species of animal listed under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act are required, special measures will need to be put into place for the shoot. Precisely what is appropriate will vary species to species, but may include sectioned off areas where only trained handlers are allowed. In the event of large and dangerous carnivores, a specifically built green screen studio can also be supplied.

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