Kids’ Falconry Experiences in Leicestershire
Safe, hands-on sessions designed for children and families. Choose a gentle 30-minute owl introduction, a one-hour birds of prey taster, or a deeper 3-hour experience with expert guidance throughout.
- Family-friendly and safe: Calm, supportive tuition with age-appropriate handling and flying.
- Small groups (usually max 6): More personal attention and more turns flying to the glove.
- Truly hands-on: Children handle and fly real owls and birds of prey, guided every step of the way.
- Great for birthdays: A memorable, hands-on experience for small celebrations and family groups.
Book with total confidence: Every experience is protected by our unique 'Full Money Back Guarantee." [Learn More]
Have a Hoot
Half Hour Owl Experience
Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Surprised by the incredible variety of birds" - Clare
A calm, hands-on introduction for children aged 4 to 14. Young visitors can meet, handle and fly owls in a relaxed setting, with plenty of time and gentle guidance.
- A gentle first experience: Perfect for quieter children, with the option to take a first supervised “glove moment” when they’re ready.
- Fly a barn owl: Feel the magic as a barn owl glides in to land softly on the glove.
- Meet the giants: Get up close to impressive owls, including the European eagle-owl, in a safe, guided session.
- Flexible for every child: We adapt the pace to suit them, whether they want lots of flying turns or prefer to watch, learn and ask questions.
Owl on the Hand
Our Popular 3 Hour Experience.
Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"One of the best things I have ever done!" - Daisy
A hands-on 3-hour owl experience with expert guidance throughout. Perfect for confident, owl-mad kids and families who want more flying, more learning and more time with the birds.
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Take the lead, with expert support: Handle and fly several owl species as they come directly to the glove.
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Meet the extremes: From the tiny burrowing owl to the impressive Siberian eagle-owl.
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Learn while you fly: Discover how owls hunt, see and fly in near silence.
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Small groups (usually max 6): Personal tuition and plenty of flying turns.
Raptor Rapture
One Hour Experience
Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"The children thoroughly enjoyed themselves" - Lucinda
A brilliant first birds of prey experience for families. In one hour, children learn the basics, handle the birds safely and take turns flying them to the glove
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Hands-on taster session: Ideal for first-timers
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Fly 3+ species: Hawks, falcons and owls
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Family-friendly: Ages 7+, great for younger enthusiasts
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Small groups: Plenty of 1:1 flying time
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Learn the essentials: Simple, confidence-building guidance throughout
Private Adventure
90 Minute Exclusive Session
Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"More handling time than any other centre!" - Josie
A private 90-minute session for your group only. Tailored to your pace, with plenty of hands-on flying and time with the birds.
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Perfect for birthdays: Your group only, tailored to the age and confidence of the children.
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Hands-on and safe: Calm, expert guidance with age-appropriate handling and flying.
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Choose your pace: More flying turns for confident kids, or a gentler meet-and-handle focus.
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Great group value: One fixed price for up to 8 participants (ages 5+), £299 on weekends.
Why Choose Bird on the Hand for a Family Adventure?
A Lifetime of Expert Care: Our team brings together over 80 years of combined expertise in professional falconry. Led by a master falconer with over five decades of experience, we pride ourselves on providing a safe, educational, and high-quality environment for young and old enthusiasts and their families.
- True Hands-on Discovery: We don't just "show" kids the birds from behind a barrier. Every session is designed for active participation. From the moment they put on the glove, children are taught the art of handling and flying birds of prey themselves, creating a genuine connection with nature.
- A Spectacular Private Collection: Based at our private Market Harborough centre, your family will be introduced to a diverse range of species. Depending on your session, you might fly the iconic European Eagle Owl, the swift Harris Hawk, or the beautiful Barn Owl.
- The Magic of the Moment: Under our expert guidance, your child will personally fly and handle these incredible birds. Witness the look of wonder as an owl or hawk launches from the treeline and glides directly to their glove—a perfect opportunity for unforgettable family photography.
- A Safe, Natural Setting: We fly our birds in the beautiful Leicestershire countryside, providing a quiet, "back-to-nature" escape that is relaxed, professional, and perfect for families looking for an extraordinary day out.
Not found your perfect experience?
Explore our other experiences or specialised sessions. We will have something to suit. Get in touch if you want to talk.
🦉 Falconry Experiences:
Sessions design to give you the maximum variety. Fly a mixture of birds including owls.
🦉 Owl Experiences:
Safe, fun, and highly educational sessions designed specifically for children and families (Ages 6+).
🏢 Private & Group Events:
From bespoke family days to corporate team building and weddings, we can tailor a day to your needs.
Need a hand? 📞 Give us a call on 07868 243490 — we’re always happy to help.
Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone - Andrew
"More handling time than any other centre!" - Josie
My family and I attended a private session with the birds 🦅 of prey. This was to celebrate my birthday.
Charlotte and Teri looked after us throughout the whole day. They imparted with their knowledge of the birds - where they came from, how they’re looked after etc.
The fun came when we were supported in flying these wonderful species - ranging from owls, falcons, buzzard to name just a few.
The experience of seeing the birds in flight, as well as handling them, was truly special - both emotive and exciting. We fed the birds, and experienced how strong the birds are whilst feeding, cracking through their rewards. Charlotte and Teri were fantastic hosts, and laid on a wonderful lunch - hearty food locally sourced. Our day ended with a perfect sunset and a final feast for the birds.
It was a wonderful experience which I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone wishing to experience and see these wonderful creatures. They are well looked after, and we all had a wonderful day. We will definitely be doing this again, and will be recommending it to friends and family.
Thank you for making my birthday so special.
Andrew.
"More handling time than any other falconry centre!" - Josie
What a fantastic day!! My partner and I visited and had a session with the birds.
We had a lot of handling time with each of the birds, which I know from reading other falconry businesses feedback isn’t always the case, so we were thrilled.
Charlotte took care of us throughout, with the lovely owner, Andrew, as well. They both were so knowledgeable about the birds and were happy to answer any questions we had.
I would definitely recommend a visit. The day was just incredible!
"A spectacular day out - even for our teens" - Jen
We had a super spectacular day with Andrew at Bird on the Hand with friends and our 2 teens.
It was a grand as well as fun experience and we felt super taken care of and at all times completely safe.
We got to be up close and personal with some glorious birds and developed such a huge respect and awe for them. Andrew is a master with the birds and full of interesting insights.
Thank you Andrew and team. Highly recommend.
Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Surprised by the number of birds - Lucinda
Thank you for such a brilliant and very informative experience.
We absolutely loved getting so close to the birds and were surprised by the number and variety of birds that you were able to show us.
We have already recommended it to anyone we have had contact with, and will continue to do so.
Lucinda
"The perfect session for my 7-year old son" - Nicola
Lovely session with Duncan for my 7 year old son. Informative, interesting and fun!
He loved handling the birds and learning more about them. Duncan was very warm and welcoming and supported my son perfectly. Thank you!
"Lovely people who clearly love and know their birds" - Denise
What a FABULOUS day!!!
Would thoroughly recommend it to any bird lover!! Such lovely friendly people who obviously loved and knew so much about the birds!!!
Would definitely recommend!! And May well be returning!!!
Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"One of the best things I have ever done!"
- Daisy
Lots of time with birds, variety of owls. Amazing commentary from the guide. 3 hours flew by. I loved every second of it.
One of the best things I have ever done.
Also - beautiful location.
"Incredible to handle these beautiful birds up close!"
- Wayne
Had a fantastic afternoon in the company of the beautiful owls Juliet, Bingo, Alex and Priscilla and not forgetting the bonus appearance of Midnight the Harris Hawk.
Huge thanks to Charlotte and Andrew for making this such a memorable experience! It was incredible to handle these magnificent birds and see them up close.
We had an absolute hoot (pun intended)!
"Supported my 7-year-old perfectly - informative and fun!"
- Nicola
Lovely session with Duncan for my 7 year old son. Informative, interesting and fun!
He loved handling the birds and learning more about them. Duncan was very warm and welcoming and supported my son perfectly. Thank you!
Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The children thoroughly enjoyed themselves - Lucinda
Thank you for a fabulous afternoon. We were very lucky to have the session to ourselves.
My children throroughly enjoyed themselves, the session was perfectly pitched to keep them engaged and to learn about the beautiful birds they got to fly.
Many thanks, we’ll definitely be back!
Lucinda
Fabulous day out - Caroline and Lee
Full of hands-on bird demonstrations, lots of information and it was very obvious that the birds are well cared for and loved with staff and owners passionate about giving us the best experience, whilst keeping the birds welfare their priority.
Also small group which made it feel personal.
Thank you for an amazing day, loved every minute.
100% recommend.
Caroline and Lee
Worth every penny - Graham Fuller
Seeing the lovely birds and getting really close to them was great. the team were really knowledgeable.
To actually have a raptor sitting on your hand was truly amazing
Thank you for a lovely day and it was worth every penny.
GRAHAM FULLER
Money Back Guarantee
I want you to book with absolute confidence. Our business is built on 20 years of reputation and a genuine passion for these birds. We stand by every session we lead, which is why we offer a straightforward, no-nonsense guarantee:
- 30-Day 'Change of Mind' Return: if a gift isn't quite right for the recipient, return the voucher within 30 days for a full refund.
- The Enjoyment Promise: We personally guarantee that every participant will have a fantastic time on the day or you can have a full refund.
- The Value Promise: If, after your experience, you honestly feel it wasn't worth the price, tell us why and what you feel it was worth. We will refund the difference.
- Flexible Rebooking: Life happens. If you need to move your date, just talk to us. We don’t believe in re-booking fees; we’ll simply find a new slot that works for you. All we ask is as much notice as possible.