The Keeping & Training Birds of Prey course gives you a complete learning pathway from online theory through to supervised practical training and assessment preparation.

Your course includes:

Nine comprehensive online theory modules
Work through the full course at your own pace using detailed video presentations and supporting written materials covering the essential knowledge required to keep, manage and train birds of prey responsibly.

A downloadable companion guide
Use the course companion guide alongside the presentations to review important subjects, reinforce your understanding and keep a permanent reference for future use.

Module worksheets and practical learning activities
Complete structured worksheets and applied tasks designed to help you use what you have learned, rather than simply memorising information.

Downloadable resources and reference materials
Access additional documents, templates, checklists and learning resources provided throughout the modules.

Falconry Course end-of-module quizzes
Check your understanding at the end of each module and identify any areas that you should revisit before progressing.

WhatsApp student support
Join the dedicated support channel to ask questions, receive guidance and get help while working through the theory course.

A structured route into practical training
Once you have completed the Falconry Course theory and the corresponding Raptor Awards theory requirements, you can begin booking supervised practical sessions.

A practical progress workbook
Use the workbook during your practical training to record the skills you have covered, monitor your development and identify what still needs to be practised.

Preparation for Raptor Awards assessment
Your theory learning, worksheets and practical sessions are structured to help you prepare for the separate Raptor Awards quizzes and final practical assessment.

Falconry Course certification
Following successful completion of the required Falconry Course theory and practical elements, you will receive Falconry Course certification alongside any separate certification awarded by Raptor Awards.

Like learning to drive, there is no single total price that applies to every student. Some people may become confident and competent after only a small number of practical sessions, while others may need more time and practice before they are ready for assessment.

The total cost therefore depends mainly on how much practical training you require. There are four separate costs involved in completing the full pathway and achieving certification from both Falconry Course and Raptor Awards.

1. Falconry Course Online Theory Programme: £325

This gives you unlimited access to all nine online theory modules, including the video presentations, written learning materials, companion guide, worksheets, downloadable resources, end-of-module quizzes and WhatsApp support.

2. Raptor Awards Combined Course Registration: £44

This fee is paid separately and directly to Raptor Awards. It provides access to the corresponding Raptor Awards theory quizzes and forms part of the formal certification pathway.

3. Practical Training Sessions

Practical training is booked separately once you have completed the required theory. All practical sessions are private, allowing the training to be adapted to your individual progress and experience.

You can book sessions individually:

• One-hour practical session: £40
• Two-hour practical session: £75

Discounted packages are also available:

• Two two-hour sessions: £135
  Four hours of private practical training
• Eight two-hour sessions: £474
  Sixteen hours of private practical training

You are not required to purchase the largest package. You can begin with individual sessions or a smaller package and book additional training only when needed.

4. Final Raptor Awards Practical Assessment: £75

Once you have completed the theory requirements and can demonstrate the required practical skills safely and consistently, you can book your final practical assessment.

Example Total Cost

A student choosing the package of eight two-hour practical sessions would pay:

• Falconry Course online theory programme: £325
• Sixteen hours of private practical training: £474

Total: £799

This example includes unlimited access to the online theory course, sixteen hours of private practical tuition, Raptor Awards registration and the final assessment.

Your own total may be lower or higher depending on the amount of practical training you need before you are ready for assessment.

How Does This Compare with a Traditional Five-Day Course?

Many traditional five-day falconry courses cost between approximately £650 and £1,000 or more. These courses commonly provide four days of tuition followed by an assessment day.

A typical structure may include around 24 hours of tuition, divided between approximately:

• 12 hours of theory
• 12 hours of practical training

This tuition is also normally delivered as part of a group, meaning the practical time is shared between several students.

By comparison, the Falconry Course pathway gives you:

• Unlimited access to the complete online theory programme
• The ability to study at your own pace
• Private practical training focused entirely on your development
• The option to book only the amount of practical training you need
• A structured route towards Raptor Awards assessment and certification

The aim is not to rush everyone through the same fixed timetable. You progress to assessment when you have completed the theory and can demonstrate the required practical skills confidently, safely and consistently.

The full Keeping & Training Birds of Prey online theory course will be released in September 2026. You can currently pre-order your place and receive £50 off by using the coupon code:

EARLYBIRD

The early-bird discount is available until the full course is released in September 2026.

Try the Free Demo First

Before enrolling, you can try the  Free Demo Course to see how the training is presented and get a feel for the learning platform.

The demo includes Module 1: Accommodation and Equipment, but it does not include every resource, worksheet, support feature or additional learning material provided with the full course.

Enrol in the Full Course

When you are ready, enrol in the full online theory course and use the code EARLYBIRD at checkout to receive your £50 discount.

Once the full course is released, you will be able to work through all nine modules at your own pace. Each module includes video presentations, written learning materials, downloadable resources, worksheets and an end-of-module quiz. You will also complete the corresponding Raptor Awards quiz before progressing through the remaining modules.

There is no need to complete the theory within a fixed number of days. You can take the time you need to understand each subject properly before moving on.

Begin Your Practical Training

Once you have completed the Falconry Course theory and the corresponding Raptor Awards theory requirements, you can begin booking your private practical training sessions.

Practical sessions are available on:

• Thursdays at 11:00am
• Fridays at 11:00am
• Saturdays at 11:00am
• Sundays at 11:00am

During these sessions, you will work through the practical progress workbook and develop the skills required for your final Raptor Awards assessment.

Start Here

Not ready to enrol yet?
Try the Free Demo Course.

Ready to begin the complete pathway?
Pre-order the full course and use code EARLYBIRD for £50 off.

The Keeping & Training Birds of Prey course is designed for anyone who works with, keeps, handles, trains or has a serious interest in birds of prey.

It provides the essential foundation that every bird of prey practitioner should understand before moving into more specialist areas. Whether your long-term interest is private keeping, falconry, free flying, displays, pest control, breeding, rehabilitation, education or professional bird management, the same core knowledge must come first.

The course is suitable for:

• Complete beginners exploring birds of prey for the first time
• Prospective keepers preparing before acquiring a bird
• Existing keepers who want to strengthen or formalise their knowledge
• Falconers and people interested in training birds for free flight
• Staff and volunteers working at falconry centres, zoos or bird of prey collections
• Display givers, pest controllers, breeders and rehabilitators
• Veterinary staff, animal-care students and other professionals who may work with birds of prey
• Anyone seeking a structured pathway towards Raptor Awards certification

No previous experience is required to begin the online theory course. The programme starts with the fundamental principles of bird of prey accommodation, nutrition, health, handling, equipment, legislation, species selection and training before progressing towards practical skills and assessment.

This is not intended to be a narrow course for one particular type of falconer. It is the main foundational programme within the Falconry Course pathway and is designed to establish the knowledge and standards that all responsible bird of prey practitioners should share.

More specialist courses will follow in the future, covering particular roles, techniques and advanced subjects. Keeping & Training Birds of Prey is the starting point on which those specialist skills will be built.

No. You do not need to own a bird of prey to enrol in the course or complete the practical training.

All practical sessions are carried out using suitable birds provided at the Raptor Park. This allows your training to be carefully structured around the skills being taught and ensures that you gain experience with birds selected for safe, appropriate tuition.

Students cannot bring their own birds to the Raptor Park for training sessions.

If you already own a bird and would prefer support in your own environment, we will also be introducing separate site and home visits. These visits will be designed to help existing keepers with their own birds, accommodation, routines and training setup.

Further information about site and home visits will be available on the website soon.

The course is designed to be completed at your own pace, so there is no single fixed completion time.

As a rough guide, students should expect to spend around 1.5 to 2 hours on each theory module. This includes watching the presentation videos, reading the companion guide, reviewing any additional resources, completing the worksheets and taking the end-of-module quiz.

Across all nine modules, this works out at approximately:

13.5 to 18 hours of online theory study

Some students may complete the modules more quickly, while others may prefer to take longer, revisit sections or spend additional time on the worksheets.

Once the theory is complete, you can begin your practical training. A traditional five-day falconry course may provide around 12 hours of practical tuition before the final assessment, usually shared with other students.

Our largest practical package includes:

16 hours of private practical training

Because the practical sessions are private, the full session is focused on your development rather than being divided between a group.

The total time needed will depend on your experience, confidence and rate of progress. Some students may be ready for assessment after fewer sessions, while others may benefit from additional practice.

The aim is not to complete the course as quickly as possible. You should move on to the practical assessment when you have completed the theory and can demonstrate the required skills safely, confidently and consistently.

All practical training sessions take place at Mercer Falconry Raptor Park, located inside Robin Hoods Wheelgate Park in Farnsfield, Nottinghamshire.

Address:
Mercer Falconry Raptor Park
Robin Hoods Wheelgate Park
Mansfield Road
Farnsfield
Newark
NG22 8HX

Practical sessions are carried out on site using suitable birds from the Raptor Park. This gives students access to a zoo-licensed bird of prey centre and allows each session to be delivered in a controlled, professional environment.

The venue includes:

• Free on-site parking
• Wheelchair-accessible pathways and facilities
• Toilets
• Cafés within the park for drinks and refreshments

Students should not bring their own birds to the Raptor Park. All practical tuition is completed using birds selected by the Falconry Course team for safe and appropriate training.

Training with Your Own Bird or at Your Own Site

If you already own a bird of prey and would prefer training in its usual environment, we also offer separate home visits. These can be used to provide practical guidance on handling, routines, equipment, accommodation and training with your own bird.

We can also arrange consultation site visits for small zoos, farm parks, falconry centres and other organisations working with birds of prey. These visits can be tailored around staff development, husbandry, training practices, accommodation, equipment and operational procedures.

Home visits and site consultations are separate from the standard practical sessions at Mercer Falconry Raptor Park and are priced individually according to location, travel and the support required. Further information and booking details will be available on our dedicated Consultation Services page.

You will not be expected to work through the course completely on your own. Support is available throughout both the theory and practical stages to help you understand the material, resolve problems and keep moving forward.

WhatsApp Support During the Theory Course

After enrolling, you will be invited to join the dedicated student WhatsApp support channel.

You can use this to:

• Ask questions about the presentation videos and written materials
• Request clarification on subjects you do not fully understand
• Get guidance with worksheets and module activities
• Check that you are interpreting course information correctly
• Receive updates, reminders and additional learning resources

The purpose of the support channel is to make sure you do not become stuck or feel that you have to guess your way through the course.

Guidance During Practical Training

Your practical sessions are delivered privately, so the training can be adjusted to your experience, confidence and progress.

During these sessions, you will receive:

• Direct instruction and demonstrations
• Supervised practice with suitable birds
• Clear feedback on your technique
• Help correcting mistakes before they become habits
• Guidance on the skills recorded in your practical progress workbook
• Advice on what you should practise or improve before assessment

Progress and Assessment Preparation

The practical progress workbook provides a clear record of the skills you have covered and the areas that still require work.

You will be guided through the process rather than being expected to decide for yourself when you are ready for assessment. Practical training will continue until you can demonstrate the required skills safely, confidently and consistently.

You will be ready for assessment once you have completed the theory requirements and can demonstrate the required practical skills safely, confidently and consistently.

Assessment readiness is based on competence, not simply on how many practical sessions you have attended.

Before booking your final Raptor Awards practical assessment, you should have:

• Completed all nine Falconry Course theory modules
• Completed the corresponding Falconry Course worksheets and quizzes
• Completed the relevant Raptor Awards theory quizzes
• Worked through the practical progress workbook
• Demonstrated the required practical skills during your training sessions
• Addressed any areas that still need improvement
• Received confirmation that you are ready to progress to assessment

Some students may become assessment-ready after fewer practical sessions, while others may need more time. This is completely normal. The purpose of the practical training is to make sure you are properly prepared, not simply to move you through a fixed timetable.

You should book your assessment when you can perform the required tasks without constant prompting and can explain the reasoning behind what you are doing.

The final decision to book remains yours, but you will be given clear feedback throughout your practical training so that you understand whether you are ready and what, if anything, still needs to be improved.

There is no need to think of the assessment in terms of “failing.” A better way to view it is:

Not passed yet

The purpose of the course and assessment process is to make sure you can complete each required task safely, confidently and consistently. If a particular skill is not quite ready, you simply return to that area, practise it again and demonstrate it once you are comfortable.

Not being able to demonstrate one specific skill does not mean that the entire assessment has been failed. It means that particular element has not yet been completed to the required standard.

For example, if you complete the rest of the assessment successfully but need more practice with one task, you will only need to revisit and demonstrate that outstanding skill after further training.

You will receive clear feedback explaining:

• Which skill or area needs more work
• Why it has not yet met the required standard
• What you should practise
• When it would be appropriate to demonstrate it again

The course is designed to help you succeed through preparation, practice and feedback. You continue working on each skill until you can demonstrate it safely and with confidence.

After completing the full course pathway, you will receive separate certification from Falconry Course and Raptor Awards.

Falconry Course Certificate

You will receive a Falconry Course certificate confirming that you have completed the Keeping & Training Birds of Prey programme, including the online theory, course activities and required practical training.

This provides a clear record of the structured learning and practical development you have completed through Falconry Course.

Raptor Awards Certification

Raptor Awards is a separate awarding organisation. Once you have completed the required Raptor Awards theory quizzes and successfully demonstrated the relevant practical assessment criteria, Raptor Awards will issue the appropriate certification for the award you have completed.

The Raptor Awards standards assess both knowledge and practical competence across areas such as accommodation, nutrition, health, handling, equipment, training and free flight. 

Two Separate Certificates

The two certificates serve different purposes:

• Falconry Course certification records your completion of our full training programme.
• Raptor Awards certification records your achievement against the separate Raptor Awards assessment standards.

Certification is awarded following successful completion of the required elements. Enrolling in the course or attending a set number of sessions does not automatically guarantee certification. You must complete the theory requirements and demonstrate the practical skills safely, confidently and consistently.

Raptor Awards module certificates are generally issued with a five-year validity period, after which refresher training is recommended.