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Written by Dan Frankian

Created: 10 February 2019

Last Updated: 07 February 2019

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Written by Dan Frankian

Created: 03 February 2019

Last Updated: 22 January 2019

This year, the Saudi Falcons Club is getting ready for the first ever King AbdulAziz Falconry Festival, said to be one of the largest falconry events to date. This festival is taking place from January 25^th to February 3^rd 2019, in the city of Riyadh. Many local falconers are scheduled to attend as well as other falconers and enthusiasts from all around the world. Although those who are foreign to the world of falconry believe it to be a very niche community, this sport of kings is still at large in almost every country, and especially in the Middle East. In this region many animals are still used as status symbols, such as those used in Ancient Rome. In fact, falconry is also deeply engrained in Saudi heritage and culture, and many modern enthusiasts intend to revive these practices on an even larger scale. 

The festival will feature state of the art falcon race fields holding up to all international standards. There will also be falcon beauty competitions, interactive media displays, art installations, museum exhibits, and hands on falconry experiences held in a large area of over 32,000 square feet. Since one of the main goals of this festival is to deepen the understanding, appreciation, and continuance of Arabian traditions, the featured exhibits will focus on the biology of falcons, the history of falcons in Saudi Arabia, how to train a falcon, hunting techniques, and the progressive nature of falconry in modern times. This will truly be a magnificent event, and many will be envious of the thousands of attendees that will be present. But Luckily with Hawkeye, you don’t have to travel to the Middle East to get a true falconry experience.

Right here in Acton, Ontario you can experience the wonders of the sport of falconry, get hands on experience, and learn about and meet the various falcons, hawks, owls, and even eagles we house. Bald Eagles, Golden Eagles, Snowy Owls, Great Horned Owls, and Harris Hawks are just some of the predator birds we house. You will learn about the importance of falconry to the population control of many predator species, and you will even get to have one of these birds fly right from your own gloved hand. So, if birds of prey or the sport of falconry interests you, please visit our contact us page and book your falconry experience today.

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Written by Dan Frankian

Created: 27 January 2019

Last Updated: 22 January 2019

• raccoon rabies,

Two patients dead after a fungal infection linked to pigeon feces

At Queen Elizabeth University hospital in Glasgow, Scotland two individuals have died from the same fungal infection. This fungus goes by the name of Cryptococcus. The main form of contraction for this infection is through inhalation, and this fungus is usually only found in soil and pigeon feces. There is little information released about the individuals in question as patient confidentiality is at risk, but officials say the likely source of contraction is an area which is not open to the public that contained a large amount of pigeon droppings, which were subsequently removed. In addition, control measures were taken at the hospital to ensure no further cases of this infection, and have thus far proven to be effective. The air quality in this facility is now being strictly monitored, as this fungus can become and is most commonly contracted as air borne. It is said that many people who ingest this fungus do not have any serious side effects, but it is impossible to know who will and won’t be affected, so it is essential to take precautions to prevent excessive inhalation.

If you own or work in a location that has an excess amount of pigeons, or any nuisance animal causing a health risk due to excessive fecal droppings, destruction of property, or  over occupation of space our technicians at Hawkeye can help. We have the tools and the skills to deal with these animals, can provide a permanent solution if needed, and can make sure your health and safety is no longer a risk. We can use chemicals such as bleach or steam cleaning to eliminate the presence of this fungus or any other bacteria that could be harmful to humans. And we can also use technics such as abatement and/or trapping to deter, relocate, or permanently remove your nuisance wildlife depending on your needs and specific situation. These specifics can be discussed with one of our professionals by visiting our contact us page. We would love to hear from you and provide the most effective and efficient solution to your animal control problem.

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Written by Dan Frankian

Created: 22 January 2019

Last Updated: 22 January 2019

(CNN) — Ten years after what came to be known as the "Miracle on the Hudson," it's still amazing that everyone aboard US Airways Flight 1549 survived. 

Shortly after pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger took off from New York's LaGuardia Airport on January 15, 2009 with 154 passengers and crew, two eight-pound geese flew into each of the plane's twin engines. Suddenly both engines weren't working and Sullenberger faced a gut-wrenching decision. He had to choose between trying to reach an airport runway, or attempting a daring water landing. As we now know, Sullenberger aimed for the Hudson River -- which  investigators eventually saidwas the only choice he could have made that would have saved the plane. 

Flight 1549 reminds us that we're not the only creatures flying in the sky. It raised awareness about aircraft bird strikes and prompted National Transportation Safety Board investigators to warn airports "to take action to mitigate wildlife hazards before a dangerous event occurs."

From 1990 to 2016, the annual number of reported bird strikes in the US increased from 1,850 to 13,408, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. That's up more than 700%. Globally, from 2008-2015, the International Civil Aviation Organization said nearly 98,000 bird strikes were reported in 105 nations. The estimated cost of all aviation bird strikes, according to the European Space Agency, is more than $1 billion a year. 

When airplanes and birds collide, you often get "snarge." Scientists at the Smithsonian Institution came up with the term to describe tissue and gooey remains that are still attached to aircraft after a collision, said bird strike expert Mike Begier, who took part in the investigation of Flight 1549. 

The big lesson learned from Flight 1549, Begier said, was, "It can happen. It was no longer an abstraction. We almost had that catastrophic event with the Miracle on the Hudson, but obviously there was a highly skilled crew on that plane and that did not happen." Now, with heightened awareness and better airport management of wildlife, Begier said another bird strike as terrifying as Flight 1549 is perhaps a little less likely. 

Andm it's not just birds. Hundreds of strikes are reported involving bats -- and even reptiles. At New York's JFK airport, hundreds of diamondback terrapin turtles have been known to crawl from Jamaica Bay onto airport property -- sometimes even getting onto runways. 

Preventative strategies

The most effective way to force birds away from airports is to take away their habitat, wildlife is going to come in for three reasons: food, water or shelter. Remove those and you'll force birds to go elsewhere.

As a final option, some airports, such as New York's LaGuardia and JFK have resorted to rounding up geese and gassing them to death. Emerging technology may provide other tools. The FAA has spent more than 10 years trying to perfect special radar that detects birds. It has struggled to track birds because they're fairly small, but experts said the FAA has been improving it. 

Jet engine manufacturers have tried to design screens to protect engine intakes from birds, but so far, experts say nothing has worked well enough to be practical due to air-flow and excessive weight issues.

At the time of Flight 1549, bird-strike avoidance training was not included in US Airways' ground school curriculum or the simulator syllabus, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

Industry lobby organization Airlines for America said in a 2016 statement that pilots for its members "undergo extensive flight training" which includes "preventative strategies." 

Sullenberger's former employer US Airways has merged with American Airlines, which said in a statement this week that "bird strike preparation for our pilots is an important and standard component of training."

Achieving zero bird strikes at airports would be difficult, if not impossible, but the goal would be trying to get as close to zero as possible, said Begier. "We can set benchmarks -- and that's actually a discussion that's going on in the airport community right now."

Experts say focusing on effective wildlife management and pilot training will go a long way toward preventing future incidents like Flight 1549. The outcome of the next bird strike emergency may not be as miraculous. 

CNN's Aaron Cooper contributed to this report.