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When a bird of prey is flown in falconry, it is at its prime. Being able to catch wild quarry can only be done by the strongest and fittest bird of prey, and seeing a bird succeed in this fashion informs both the falconer and the rehabber that it’s ready to return to the wild.
Lauren McGough is featured on this year’s Birds of Prey Day poster and will be one of several special guests participating.
“These days we see more and more examples of people combining falconry practices with wildlife rehabilitation techniques,” explains Green Chimneys Wildlife Expert Paul Kupchok. “Twenty years ago, these were two entirely different worlds, but today they’re working together and wildlife is benefitting.”
Such is the case with Mongolian Eagle Hunter Lauren McGough. What began as a teenage fascination of golden eagles as hunting partners became a personal and professional passion. After pursuing bachelor degrees in both zoology and international relations, Lauren ventured to Mongolia in 2009 as a Fulbright Scholar to practice falconry with local eagle masters and trained eagles for hunting foxes on horseback. Lauren later earned a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She enjoys bringing the eagle training techniques she’s learned abroad back to the United States, where she teaches golden eagles in need of rehabilitation how to hunt.
Lauren will share her experiences as combined falconer, rehabber and anthropologist at the 27th Annual Birds of Prey Day. Join her and an impressive lineup of wildlife experts and environmentalists; for details visit the Birds of Prey Day webpage
With the completion of an elaborate new habitat built by Green Chimneys’ woodshop students, the Farm Science classroom was able to welcome Brownie into her new home. Brownie previously lived alone in her cage in the farm and wildlife office, but guinea pigs do best in larger environments. The new habitat allows her to live in a herd as she would in the wild, with many places to hide and ways to practice her skills. Brownie has always been a social creature, and she has taken over the guinea pig herd but is a very peaceful leader.