A Bird in the Hand

The dream of every young man is to befriend a falcon. Forget ironic T-shirts, leather capes and sword canes; the ultimate male accessory is a hooded falcon on your wrist, its leather jesses dangling in an ominous loop under your gauntleted fist. The ancient art of training a falcon to hunt on the wing and return to the hand requires patience, intelligence and empathy from both bird and man. Tonight at 6 p.m. at the Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center (11715 Cragwold Road, Kirkwood; 314-301-1500), a group of local falconers attends the Friday Night Live Bird Bash to discuss the long history and current practice of falconry, and they're bringing their majestic raptors with them. Bird-centric games and crafts are also on the schedule, as are a bird-identification scavenger hunt and short hikes. Admission is free, and no reservations are required.
Fri., March 14, 2008