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USAA
USAA

WebGuy Spotlight

This first spotlight is shining on...the Falconry Team!

 
The U.S. Air Force Academy has a highly competitive falconry team composed of cadets who train, care for, and fly the Academy's live falcon mascots for public events. The team has been active since 1956 and has 11 falcons, with members like Nova being a white-phased gyrfalcon, the current official mascot. The cadets' duties include flight demonstrations at events like football games and community outreach to educate the public about the birds. 
  

The Falconry Team consists of four flier teams with one falcon and three cadets on each flier team. The four falcons the WebTeam met were: Ziva (age 11), Ares (age 1), Karena (age 11), and Odin (age 4). Team Ziva has: Ziva the falcon, Skylar ('26), Anna ('28), and Aidan ('27). Team Ares has: Ares the falcon, Sara ('26), and Natalie ('27). Team Karena has: Karena the falcon, Avery ('26), Anoushka ('27), and Meryl ('28). Finally, Team Odin has: Odin the falcon, Bridger ('26), Steven ('27), and Becky ('28). Sara is the CIC, or Cadet in Charge, of the Falconry Team.

 

When you see the falcons, you will notice they wear hoods on their heads most of the time. The hoods are on the falcon's heads to help keep them calm in the human environments, which is very stressful for the falcons. Falcons also have very good eyesight that can see up to five miles away under perfect conditions, so the falcons wear the hoods to not distract them from potential prey. When looking at the pictures, Ziva is a white falcon who wears the silver hood with a shark tooth, Odin is also a white falcon with the flat black hood, Ares is a white falcon who wears a the red hood, and Karena is the only grey falcon pictured. You will also see some photos of a white falcon who has their hood off, and that falcon is four-year-old Odin.

  

The 11 cadets who have been chosen to take care of these falcons have a large responsibility, which they take on happily. On a regular day, the cadets will come to the Falconry at least once a day, even on the weekends. On event days, the cadets will visit the Falconry three different times to take care of the falcons. When talking to the Falconry Team, the cadets said that they have about two seasons where they are out and practicing with the falcons. Their two seasons are fall (for the football games) and spring (to prepare for the parades). 

  

So next time your at a Football game, or an event, go over and see these fine young men and women and the Falcons they are taking care of, they will be happy to answer any questions and are always up for a photo!

See the Photos HERE - start at the bottom of the page

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Photos are under GALLERIES~EXTRACURRICULAR~CADET CLUBS