Lantra Awards Launches First Ever Falconry Award
Lantra Awards and the Hawk Board have together developed and launched an award for would-be falconers and bird of prey keepers along with Lantra SSC the Sector Skills Council for the Land Based and Environmental Sector, ensuring that it was tailored to all falconry and bird of prey keeping needs.
This award has been developed by Lantra Awards with the assistance of falconers throughout the UK , who have helped to define the body of knowledge and practical skills required. It is a formal award intended for those who are new to falconry, or those who wish to keep Raptors and/or Owls. This Award is approved by the Hawk Board and is administered by Lantra Awards .
The Award assumes that candidates have no previous knowledge or experience and covers all aspects up to Flying to the fist'; after which the raptor can be flown free and taken hunting. Therefore, falconry, in this context, does not mean hunting with birds of prey, although subsequent modules could cover this. Further Awards in respect of more advanced husbandry, breeding and falconry may be introduced later so as to provide a progression path for candidates.
The award is granted to those candidates who are able to demonstrate an understanding of the relevant background knowledge, and those practical skills necessary to keep a Bird of Prey in a healthy and happy condition. The Award consists of two units:
Unit 1 Bird of Prey management and husbandry
Module 1 Housing
Module 2 Hygiene
Module 3 Feeding and food preparation
Module 4 Health
Module 5 Species suitability
Module 6 Purchasing your first bird
Unit 2 Basic Falconry techniques
Module 7 Essential falconry equipment
Module 8 Picking up and carrying
Module 9 Feeding and manning and initial training techniques
Module 10 Weighing and weight management
Module 11 Flying to the fist on a creance
What is the ‘Beginning Falconry’ Award?
This Award has been developed by Lantra Awards in unison with The Hawk Board and with the help and assistance of professional Falconers throughout the UK. It is suitable for those new to Falconry, or those who wish to keep Raptors and/or Owls. It is also suitable for experienced Falconers/ Bird of Prey Keepers who want to achieve the Award. All aspects of bird of prey management and husbandry up to flying to the fist on a creance are covered in the Award.
The Award is issued to those candidates who are able to demonstrate an understanding of the relevant background knowledge and those practical skills necessary to keep a Bird of Prey in a safe and healthy condition.
How do I achieve the Award?
This Award is designed to test your competence to keep a Raptor or Owl in a safe and healthy condition. Therefore you must be able to demonstrate that you have the necessary background knowledge as well as the practical skills that this entails. You will be assessed by a specially trained Assessor. Your Assessor may also be your teacher/mentor, although this is not always the case.
It is your Assessor’s job to make sure that you have adequate opportunities to demonstrate your competence. Assessments may be continuous during a course of study, and will involve you collecting evidence of competence. Your Assessor will not recommend you for this Award until he/she is happy that you are competent. Successful candidates receive a certificate from Lantra Awards.
To find out where you can get training and/or assessment for the Award contact Lantra Awards.
The Owl Experience is proud to be associated with Lantra and the Beginning Falconry Award (the only nationally ac-credited falconry qualification) and we will be holding courses and taking on students in the very near future. If you are interested in taking the course please indicate your interest by using the form on the contacts page.
Upon successful completion of all 11 modules of the course you will be awarded the Lantra Awards Beginning Falconry Award. If you would like to enrol on the course please send an email to bob@owlexperience.co.uk
Full details are available from Lantra Awards awards@lantra-awards.co.uk or telephone 02476 419703
