Guess what the traditional use of owls in falconry is? Hunting bunnies by moonlight with an eagle-owl? Catching mice with a barn owl?
The answer is that the owl is put in a cage in an open space, and many birds will come to mob the owl then a falcon or hawk can be flown on all the easy prey which has its attention on annoying the owl! That is the traditional use of owls in falconry.
However, certainly the most popular use today is owls, typically barn owls, in falconry displays . . . barn owls are very lovable birds, great to look at, slow (unlike falcons who often fly so fast that the audience has little to see) and relatively easy to find and keep. Also, a barn owl is small, light and usually friendly, so an ideal bird of prey for audience members to experience holding a bird on their hand, for the first time.
For lots of the world’s best images of owls, see our Blog post Owl images