An ideal place to hold one captive

Dick Warner flies flag for Burren Birds of Prey Centre

I WAS over at the Aillwee Caves near Ballyvaughan, Co Clare, recently for the opening of the new Burren Birds of Prey Centre. It’s an impressive set up with an atrium of aviaries holding hawks, falcons, eagles and owls from all over the world and an outdoor arena where flying displays are held.

Of course all this is geared mainly for the entertainment of visitors from home and abroad but there is a strong emphasis on education and conservation. And behind the scenes, where the visitors don’t get to go, there is a state-of-the-art facility for breeding birds of prey in captivity that has already notched up a number of successes.