From staff reports
The Seneca Rocks Audubon Society will host a nature program, “Falconry: An Intangible Cultural Heritage”, at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 13, at the Clarion Free Library’s lower conference room.
The event is free and open to the public.
The program will feature Kurt Regester, who is one of only about 200 licensed falconers in Pennsylvania.
The North American Falconers Association describes falconry as an ancient art of hunting wild game with the use of a trained raptor. Raptors are birds of prey and include hawks and eagles.
Regester will discuss his journey in becoming a falconer and the history and cultural significance of falconry. He’ll also describe the process of trapping and training a bird, and the steps to becoming a falconer in Pennsylvania.
Regester is an associate professor in the biology department at PennWest-Clarion, where he teaches courses in wildlife management, animal behavior and animal ecology.
A native of Lancaster, he resides on a farm near Emlenton, purchased in part to fulfill his long-term goal of becoming a falconer.
Before obtaining his PhD, he worked as an environmental educator at a number of zoos and museums, including the Nashville Zoo, where he was the curator of education.
More information about Seneca Rocks Audubon’s educational programs and conservation projects can be found at www.senecarocksaudubon.org and on its Facebook page.