You've totally planned your trip to Hershey. The accommodations are all set -- you've found a hotel near Hersheypark that's just perfect. And you've planned a few days at the park, with side trips to Hershey's Chocolate World and a day of shopping at the outlets. But you still have some time left in your schedule, and you can't decide what to do. Why not watch an exhibition of one of the world's oldest and most regal sports?
Falconry, as its name implies, involves the use of trained birds of prey -- ranging in size from sparrowhawk to eagle -- to fetch prey or pursue game. Most people still think of falconry as a Middle Ages sport, like jousting, but it's common (and legal) in the United States and throughout the world. As far as Hershey attractions go, you can watch a falconry exhibition at The Falconry Experience.
The Falconry Experience, led by master falconer Jack Hubley, includes free flight (in which the falcon responds to the falconer's commands to fly), a simulated hunt, and the chance for viewers to hold a raptor as a falconer does.
And if you're watching falconry as a Hershey attraction, bear in mind that it's probably older than the combined ages of everyone watching with you. It's older than Hershey itself -- older, even, than the western world. The first falconers plied their trade in eastern around 700 BC in eastern China, and points farther east. It made it to Europe by about 400 AD, introduced by invading Huns. By the Middle Ages, falconry became a status sport among European nobility; it carried similar status in feudal Japan. By the early 1960s, the North American Falconers' Association was formed to promote communication among enthusiasts, as well as to promote conservation of the raptors used in the sport.
Falconers use a diverse array of raptors in their trade; while hawks and falcons are most widely recognized by the general public, falconers will also use eagles, owls, and even osprey -- odd since osprey are generally more adept at catching fish than land-based prey. Most birds are trained using positive reinforcement -- essentially, the falconer offers food as a reward for completing a task. Unlike dogs, falcons do not respond to affection or domination, so the trainer must prove that he is the most reliable source of food. The falconer must keep the bird's appetite at just the right level; a raptor that's too hungry will soon become aggressive, and a raptor that has too much to eat has no reason to stick around, and may fly off. It's a delicate balance.
Overall, falconry is a fascinating sport with a rich history. If you're looking for the right Hershey attraction for your family -- with just the right ratio of entertainment to education -- the Falconry Experience may be for you.
