Catalina Falconry Experience — Local services in Avalon

Knowing what a huge bird-nerd I am, my husband surprised me with this activity for our 25th anniversary during our week on Catalina Island. It was my first falconry experience, and it has always been a dream of mine to interact with and hold a bird of prey. To say that our expectations were exceeded would be an understatement! Dave is an expert on these incredible raptors and we were captivated from beginning to end. His knowledge is vast and he patiently answered all of our questions. During the class, we were introduced to several beautiful birds that are all under his care and got to witness several impressive flight demonstrations - including an interactive falconry experience with a Harris Hawk (my dream come true!). Since our class was on a weekday, our group size was small which enabled everyone to participate. Admittedly, I am sometimes leery of how the animals are treated with these kinds of tourist-focused activities, but after witnessing them firsthand and also talking with Dave at length about how they've been raised, it's obvious that they've received nothing but the absolute best of care. To me, that made all the difference in my enjoyment of this experience. This was definitely a highlight of our anniversary week and we would absolutely recommend it to anyone who has even a remote interest in falconry and/or birds of prey! Thanks...

WARNING choose another company for your bird of prey experience! I should have gone with the more reliable company in San Diego. My spouse and I booked a trip to Catalina Island for the sole purpose of doing this falconry experience. For those of you who don't know it's a huge expense getting to the island, travel, accommodations.. etc.. which i was happy to do.. this was on my bucket list and saved for quite sometime. After my arrival to the island, with less than 24 hour notice this company canceled after I already had arrived to the island stating family issues.. side note..you can't leave the island till your scheduled return trip on the ferry. I was actually quite shocked when I realized this is a ma and pa business running out of their home and they have no other employees to fill in if there is a need. Most activities on the island you need to book an advance and having your activities canceled gives you limited options.. Saying I am upset is an understatement after all the money I spent for the entire trip.. my current health.. And this probably being my last attempt to experience this. I got my money back for the event itself but I am out hundreds of dollars for the trip. I find this business practice highly unprofessional and do not recommend.. I would give 0...

We booked this because our 9-year-old is deep in an animal phase and borderline obsessed with falconry. So naturally, this was a must-do on our Catalina itinerary. But now that we've done it, I honestly recommend it to anyone — not just kids or animal lovers. It was absolutely fascinating.

Dave, the falconer, is fantastic. He’s not only clearly skilled and deeply knowledgeable, but also an engaging and entertaining guide. You can tell he’s a true conservationist who cares about the birds, the land, and the experience. He struck that rare balance of being informative without ever feeling dry. Every part of the session held our attention.

And yes, you actually get to have a falcon land on your (gloved) hand. It’s one of those things that sounds cool in theory and ends up being even cooler in person. Willow, the Harris Hawk we worked with, was majestic, focused, and somehow… charming? We all left with hearts full and phones full of photos. She wasn't the only bird we got to meet though they were all so interesting and engaging and had such a variety of personalities and skills it was fascinating.

This is one of those rare activities that feels both totally unique and totally accessible. If you’re heading to Catalina, don’t miss it. Truly...