Naturally, we think Bird on the Hand is a pretty good place to come for a birds of prey experience. But you may want to look around, or you may simply live too far away to visit us. Either way, after many years running hands-on experiences, we know the things that make the difference between a memorable day and one that feels a little disappointing.
So here is our guide to what we think is worth checking before you book anywhere.
Quick guide: what should you look for?
- Hands-on or mainly a display? Find out how much of the experience you will actually spend flying and handling birds.
- How interactive is it? Can participants and spectators stay close, take photographs and ask questions?
- How big is the group? Smaller groups usually mean more time with the birds and falconer.
- Would a private experience suit you better? A private session can often be adapted around age, confidence, mobility and individual needs.
- How long is the experience? A short introduction, a three-hour session and a full day offer very different levels of depth.
- What birds will you meet and what will you learn? Look beyond the number of birds to the quality of the explanation too.
- Ages and accessibility. Minimum ages, terrain and suitability vary considerably.
- Where does it take place? The surroundings can add a lot to the day.
- Voucher flexibility and reviews. Both tell you a great deal about what you are really buying.
How Bird on the Hand fits that list
Our shared sessions are normally limited to six participants. They are hands-on rather than displays, with guests flying and handling the birds themselves. Spectators stay close to the action, photography is welcome and questions are encouraged. At Market Harborough we have our own dedicated countryside site and a choice from short sessions through three-hour experiences to a full day, plus private sessions that can be adapted around the people taking part.
Hands-on experience or mainly a display?
This is probably the biggest difference between birds of prey experiences. Some experiences based at falconry centres are mainly a tour of the aviaries followed by a flying demonstration, with a short interactive session at the end — sometimes involving just one bird. There is nothing wrong with that format, but it is very different from spending much of the experience actually flying and handling the birds yourself.
At Bird on the Hand: taking part is the point of the day. Guests fly and handle the birds themselves, with instruction from the falconer, rather than spending most of the visit watching from the side.
How interactive is the experience?
Interaction is more than being handed a bird for a photograph. We think a good experience should feel relaxed enough for you to ask questions as they occur, take photographs and stay close enough to see what is happening rather than being kept back from the action.
At Bird on the Hand: participants are directly involved in flying and handling the birds. Spectators stay with the group, can take photographs and are welcome to join the conversation and ask questions. It feels much more like spending time with the birds and falconers than watching a formal demonstration.
Group size really does matter
A smaller group normally means more opportunities to fly and handle the birds, more time for questions and more individual attention from the falconer. It also makes the whole experience more relaxed and personal.
At Bird on the Hand: our shared sessions are normally limited to a maximum of six participants.
Would a private experience suit you better?
A private session is not only about having the experience to yourselves. Its real advantage is flexibility. The pace can be adjusted around the people taking part rather than around a mixed group.
That can be particularly useful for families with a wide spread of ages, younger children, older visitors, people who are less confident around birds, or anyone with mobility, learning, sensory or other individual needs. Some people want lots of information and questions; others would rather take things gently and simply enjoy being close to the birds.
At Bird on the Hand: our private experiences can be adapted to suit the group. We can change the pace, allow more time where it is useful and tailor the amount of handling and explanation to the people in front of us. On our Private 90-minute experience we regularly have children of all ages and try to involve each one as much as possible. Very young children can sometimes be wonderfully confident but simply too small for some of the handling, while older children can occasionally be less sure of themselves. We work with the child in front of us and adapt the experience as far as we reasonably can.
How long should a birds of prey experience be?
There is no single right length. A shorter session can be a great introduction, while a three-hour experience gives you more birds, more handling and more time to ask questions. A full day gives greater depth and a more immersive birds of prey experience. One comment we hear surprisingly often at the end of a session is the inevitable falconry pun: “the time flies by.”
At Bird on the Hand: Market Harborough offers our widest choice, from short introductions through three-hour experiences to the full Falconry Adventure day. At Milton Keynes, our main shared experiences are the three-hour Meet The Birds and Meet The Owls sessions.
What birds will you meet — and how much will you learn?
Some experiences concentrate mainly on owls, while others include hawks, falcons, owls and other birds of prey. But the number of birds is only part of it. The quality of the explanation can make just as much difference to the day.
Look for an experience where the falconer has time to explain what you are seeing, answer questions properly and make subjects such as behaviour, training, natural history and conservation interesting and understandable.
At Bird on the Hand: questions are encouraged throughout. Our falconers draw on many years of practical experience to explain how the birds behave, how they are trained and cared for, their place in the wild and the conservation issues affecting birds of prey. We like going into depth, but without turning the day into a lecture.
The exact birds used on any particular day depend on welfare, weather and the individual birds themselves. We would rather put the birds first than promise a rigid performance regardless of conditions.
Children, families, ages and accessibility
Minimum ages vary much more than many buyers expect. So do the terrain, walking distances and suitability for people with different mobility or support needs. It is worth checking these things before you buy rather than discovering them on the day.
At Bird on the Hand: most shared experiences are aimed at age seven and over, while Have a Hoot at Market Harborough is designed for children aged 4–14 and the Falconry Adventure full day is for age 12+. Our private sessions are much more flexible and we regularly welcome children of all ages. A three-hour experience can also work for younger children, particularly when it is a family occasion centred on an adult such as Dad or Grandma, although we would normally warn that three hours may be beyond a young child's endurance. Families often manage that perfectly well by letting the child step away from the action when they have had enough. If someone in your group has particular mobility, learning, sensory or other needs, talk to us before booking and we can advise which format will work best.
The setting can be part of the experience
Where the experience takes place can change the feel of the whole day. Some birds of prey experiences are held in fairly compact spaces or are one activity within a garden centre or larger visitor attraction. Others have a dedicated site where the surroundings are part of the visit.
Neither format is automatically right or wrong, but if you are looking for a relaxing countryside experience it is worth checking what the location is actually like.
At Bird on the Hand: Market Harborough is our own dedicated birds of prey site in open countryside. There is space around you, no busy attraction competing for attention and the rural setting helps make the day feel relaxed. The ground is uneven in places. Our Milton Keynes venue is also in a countryside setting, with a woodland track that is generally more manageable for wheelchair users.
Gift vouchers, flexibility and reviews
If you are buying a gift, the booking terms matter almost as much as the experience. Check how long the voucher lasts, whether the recipient chooses their own date, how easy it is to change a booking and what happens if the gift simply turns out not to suit them.
At Bird on the Hand: our gift vouchers are normally valid for 12 months. We offer flexible rebooking, a 30-day voucher return period and a money-back guarantee if the participant does not enjoy the experience.
Reviews are useful too, but do not just look at the star rating. Read what people actually say. Comments about the amount of hands-on time, whether the group felt personal, how much people learned and how welcoming the falconers were tell you far more about what the day will really be like.
At Bird on the Hand: hundreds of reviews across Google and Tripadvisor repeatedly talk about the close interaction with the birds, the knowledge of the falconers and the personal nature of the experience.
What happens on the day?
The exact format varies, but on a hands-on experience you should expect to meet the falconer and birds, learn how to use the glove safely, spend time flying and handling the birds, ask questions and hear about their behaviour, training and natural history. Because these are living animals and much of the flying takes place outdoors, weather and welfare can change the running order.
At Bird on the Hand: the day is deliberately interactive. Birds are flown to participants, spectators remain close to what is happening, photography is welcome and questions are encouraged throughout.
The most memorable birds of prey experiences are usually the ones where you feel you have genuinely spent time with the birds rather than simply watched them perform.
Our two Bird on the Hand venues
Market Harborough, Leicestershire
Our original and most complete venue, with the widest choice of shared, private, owl, short, three-hour and full-day experiences.
Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
Our second venue, offering three-hour Meet The Birds and Meet The Owls experiences in a countryside setting south of Milton Keynes.
Questions worth asking before you book anywhere
- Will I actually fly and handle the birds myself?
- How much of the visit is demonstration and how much is hands-on?
- What is the maximum group size?
- Can spectators stay close to the action, take photographs and ask questions?
- Can a private session be adapted around the ages and individual needs of the group?
- How much explanation is given about the birds, their behaviour and conservation?
- Is the experience at a dedicated birds of prey site or part of a larger attraction?
- How long is the experience and how much time is actually spent with the birds?
- Which types of birds are normally involved?
- What are the minimum ages?
- What is the terrain like and is the venue suitable for any accessibility needs?
- What happens if the weather is unsuitable?
- How flexible are the voucher, cancellation and rebooking terms?
- Do recent reviews mention plenty of hands-on time and personal attention?
See the full range of Bird on the Hand experiences, or look at our private experiences if you think a session adapted around your own group would suit you better.