‘Skyhunters’ swoop into Cornwall for live bird presentation

CORNWALL — Master falconers Brian and Teddy Bradley brought their “Skyhunters in Flight” program to the Cornwall Library Friday, July 26.

This was the second of two summer camp sessions offered by the library for kids in grades one through four. The Bradleys have more than 30 years of experience raising and training predatory birds and brought a varied group of nocturnal and daytime hunters.

They started with two nocturnal hunters, a Great Horned Owl and a Barn owl.

An owl rests on his handler’s arm.Lans Christensen

“Birds are a most important part of nature ... they protect the environment and maintain balance by control of other species numbers,” Mr. Bradley told the kids. “They eat sick animals helping stop disease that would effect a species of land animals ... and control numbers of creatures that might overpopulate.”

Birds circulated among the kids, giving them an up-close and fascinating look at the aviators.

Nocturnal hunters operate by their hearing more than sight and the Great Horned Owl had been trained that the sound of a clicker meant a nice treat. Brian made the “click” and the owl immediately flew to him for a meaty treat. A Harris’s Hawk even responded to its name, “Rip,” and when the kids shouted “Rip” in unison the hawk flew from Teddy to Brian in a dash.

The presentation was informative, educational, and thoroughly enjoyable.

A hawk in flight.Lans Christensen