Urgent plea as Langbank falconry centre set for closure
Birds of prey centre owners search for new home after eviction / Credit: Eilidh Farquhar
A Port Glasgow birds of prey centre is facing eviction after their landlord claims they have failed to uphold promises.
Hootenanny Owls in Finlaystone Country Estate, Langbank, has been given a month’s notice to find a new premise for the 40 birds they home. The set eviction date is Friday 23 February.
Estate owner Arthur Macmillian’s reasoning behind the eviction is that the centre has failed to fulfill promises to host flying shows to bring in more guests.
Centre owner Donna Picket responded by saying that it wouldn’t be right to hold these shows with the current storms taking place.
“The weather recently has been despicable and we can’t take the birds out in it.
“No falconry centres are open during winter for the safety of the birds,” she claimed.
The family has worked with the birds for eight years, and look after owls, falcons, hawks and eagles.
Around 80 percent of these birds are rescues. Some have survived fires, some were found in cardboard boxes, while others ever donated from terminally ill or retiring falconers.
The centre hosts clubs for children to learn how to work with birds of prey, along with projects that allow adults and children with disabilities to use the birds as therapy.
Hootenanny Owls has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to build aviaries for the birds, along with moving and licensing fees.
Link to the GoFundMe page here.
