Here we offer beginner falconry courses. We offer advanced falconry training for more advanced falconers. You can be part of falconry workshops designed to give you the tools you need to improve your career. Get involved with bird of prey handling to help you prapare. We are offering bird of prey experience days to help tailor your learning. Join falconry classes for all ages so you can gain the skills you need to improve your knowledge. Learn falconry skills which will help you better understand and manage a bird of prey. Falconry apprenticeship programs offered at low prices, available to everyone. Be a part of helping bird of prey conservation through unique oppurtunities in learning. Falconry certification courses recognised by an independent body to improve your learning. These are unique wildlife courses available in the UK. Be a part of hands-on falconry training offered by expert falconers. Improve your learning by signing up to educational falconry experiences tailor-made for you. We are offering bird of prey rehabilitation courses so you can improve your career in the animal industry. Get experience in falconry and wildlife management through our unique learning oppurtunities. You are a part of a community of falconry enthusiasts, all willing to help you learn. Valuable falconry bird of prey techniques only available through falconry course. We offer exciting falconry training for beginners improving your future career prospects. Be a part of interactive falconry experiences brought to you with the use of video learning aides. We are just like other local falconry schools with an online learning element. If you’re interested Write to Dan Mercer for more course information.
Bird of Prey Welfare Standards
Bird Of Prey Welfare Standards
At Falconry Course, we are committed to upholding the highest bird of prey welfare standards, directly aligning our comprehensive training programme with the authoritative Raptor Welfare Guidelines established by the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) through its Raptor Welfare initiative and the Hawk Board’s Code of Welfare and Husbandry for Falconry. Drawing from the Raptor Welfare Guidelines, developed by the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology for the RSPCA. Our course has a focus on falconry raptor welfare and emphasises the “Meet Demands and Avoid Damage” principle, ensuring participants learn to meet birds’ biological needs while preventing physiological or behavioural harm, in line with the Five Freedoms framework adapted for birds of prey. This includes hands-on modules on positive reinforcement training techniques, which prioritise stress reduction through choice and environmental management, avoiding negative reinforcements that could erode the essential trust between falconer and bird.
Complementing this, we integrate the Hawk Board’s detailed code, which sets standards for birds of prey that surpass the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, authored by leading avian experts, which guides falconers to exceed the Animal Welfare Act 2006 by fostering conditions where birds not only survive but thrive. Trainees master the Five Provisions, good nutrition via hygienic, species-appropriate whole-carcass diets and constant fresh water access; suitable environments with weather-proof perches, secure aviaries, and sunlight exposure for metabolic health; vigilant health monitoring through bi-annual veterinary checks, feather integrity maintenance, and prompt avian specialist interventions; opportunities for appropriate behaviour via regular free-flight exercises and telemetry safety; and positive mental experiences that minimise fear and distress during transport, hunting, and moulting phases.
Our practical sessions at the Mercer Falconry Raptor Park, including apprenticeship-style mentorships, equip aspiring falconers with the skills to assess individual bird welfare, recognise early signs of issues like weight fluctuations or feather damage, and apply modern welfare forward training methods. By embedding international welfare standards for birds of prey, as informed by the BPCA’s Raptor Welfare initiative and the Hawk Board, Falconry Course ensures graduates are ethical, skilled practitioners. Our training not only meets but exceeds global benchmarks, preparing you to contribute to sustainable falconry traditions that prioritise falconry raptor welfare above all. Enrol today to become a steward of these vital bird of prey welfare standards and join a community dedicated to excellence in raptor care.