Ruud Kleinpaste: Falcons and ro-magpies for safe aviation

Wingspan (the Bird of Prey Trust, located in Rotorua) has been an attraction for decades. 

These wonderful people have been looking after injured falcons, kahu and owls for decades. 

The way they re-habilitate these birds is by applying ancient falconry techniques which are thousands of years old. 

I am absolutely in love with this Trust for the amazing work and research they do and for the fact they use their knowledge and facilities for education of our younger and older generations. https://www.wingspan.co.nz/ 

Go and take a look when they train and fly their falcons at Wingspan; see how these agile birds become fitter and fitter through flight training. 

The coolest aspect of these flying spectacles is the “drone hunt”, whereby a falcon chases a polystyrene drone in the shape and colours of a Magpie (called a “ro-magpie”) It truly is an aerial battle between falcon and drone… ending in a real live falcon literally surfing a polystyrene drone to the ground 

Incredible! 

Now, falcons have not just been used to fly for fun (A big hobby in the Middle East!); initially these birds were used to hunt delectable prey, such as rabbits, pheasants, partridge and quail, to name a few targets. This was a food-gathering exercise! 

Falcons have also been used to scare away the small birds that love to eat ripening grapes in vineyards; and in some countries falcons are also used to remove birds from places where they can cause dramatic damage (like around runway airports) 

Rotorua airport is situated near the lake and quite a few birds tend to cross the runway at the most inappropriate times (when planes land or take off). That could cause “bird strike”. 

Something to be avoided at all cost. 

The Wingspan crew were asked what the options were to scare birds away from these areas and the crew came up with a plan to use the scary magpie drone, instead of a real live falcon. 

Falcons are not always reliable when it comes to cruising the open skies in a pre-planned pattern (they sometimes refuse to come back to the falconer’s glove!!) 

A ro-magpie drone, on the other hand, is something that can be operated from a safe distance and with reliability. 

And that large Black and White Magpie is a really dangerous predator, in the eyes of a small song bird, a plover or a duck 

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