Bird of Prey Experience in Kent

Get up close and personal with an array of beautiful birds of prey. Learn how to handle and fly these magnificent creatures during this two hour experience in Kent.
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Willows Bird of Prey Centre Kent Experience
From £ 65 For 1 Person

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Get up close and personal with an array of beautiful birds of prey. Learn how to handle and fly these magnificent creatures during this two hour experience in Kent.

Bird Of Prey Experience Days: This incredible 2-hour falconry experience is an unforgettable introduction to the ancient practice of falconry, and an opportunity to bond with brilliant birds of prey in the idyllic countryside of Kent!

Falconry has been practiced in one form or another since 2,000 BC, right through into present day, firmly cementing its reputation as a sport with staying power. Falconry remains hugely popular in 2019, and why wouldn’t it be? This remarkable practice reaches across species to connect man with hawk, creating a unique bonding experience for all ages. Your 2-hour falconry experience in Kent will be a fascinating observation of this sport, and will create a memory to last the rest of your life. It will take place in the beautiful Kent countryside, where you'll meet your friendly and knowledgeable instructors for the day. They’ll give you a brief introduction to falconry and take you through some safety procedures, then it’s time to meet the birds! Your new feathered friends will range from a Eurasian Eagle-owl to a Harris Hawk, and you’ll have the unique privilege of seeing them being flown by professional falconers, who'll also provide plenty of information about these birds of prey. Your voucher also includes entry to the Coolings Green and Pleasant 6-acre nature trail, so why not make a day of it?

This 2-hour falconry experience is a perfect gift for the bird-lover in your life, and it makes a special family day out to remember.

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When can you book Willows Bird of Prey Centre Kent Experience

This Bird of Prey experience is available throughout the year Tuesday - Sunday, subject to availability. If you have a specific date in mind, please contact our customer service team by clicking the 'Enquire About This Experience' button, and we can look into availability for you. 

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Days Out Requirements

Minimum age: 8

Anyone under the age of 16 will need to be accompanied by an adult. 

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How long is the Willows Bird of Prey Centre Kent Experience

Experience Duration: 2:00

Time Spent at Venue: 2:30

This Bird of Prey experience will last for 2 hours. Pleaseexpect to be at the centre for longer.

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Guest Info For Willows Bird of Prey Centre Kent Experience

Participants: The Bird of Prey Experience in Kent is for 1 participant.

Max Group Size: 6

Spectators Allowed on Site: Yes

The maximum group size for this experience is 6.

Spectators are allowed onsite for a charge of £7.99 (adult) and £4.49 (child). The onsite nature trail is included in this cost. 

Unfortunately, spectators will not be permitted in certain areas but will be able to shadow the experience.

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Activity Location

Sevenoaks (Kent)

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What to Wear For This Activity

Please wear comfortable clothes that you don't mind getting a little dirty!

There is free on-site parking available. 

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Is This Activity Weather Dependent?

As some of this experience takes place outside, it may be affected by adverse weather conditions.

Willows Bird of Prey Centre Kent Experience Reviews

Jean Smith - Willows Bird of Prey Centre, Halstead, Kent
  • 12/10/2022
I was given this Bird of Prey experience as a gift. The staff were very knowledgeable, and friendly. All the birds very well cared for in natural surroundings and all 78 birds are flown every day. I got to feed many birds and also watched a...
I was given this Bird of Prey experience as a gift. The staff were very knowledgeable, and friendly. All the birds very well cared for in natural surroundings and all 78 birds are flown every day. I got to feed many birds and also watched a display. I can not thank the staff enough for a wonderful afternoon.. We only live approx 10 miles away but didn't know this centre existed, but we will certainly return. Many thanks once again
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Andrew McDonald - Surrey
  • 27/02/2019
What a brilliant venue for this experience - plenty to do on site including a 6 acre trail and cafe! Karl and the team were extremely welcoming and friendly. The demonstrations and up close handling sessions were great fun, my children love...
What a brilliant venue for this experience - plenty to do on site including a 6 acre trail and cafe! Karl and the team were extremely welcoming and friendly. The demonstrations and up close handling sessions were great fun, my children loved it! Cosmo the boobook owl was adorable!! A wonderfully personal experience that the kids or I won't forget easily.
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Maria Downting - Essex
  • 26/02/2019
My husband and I took part in the Birds of Prey Experience in Kent and had an amazing time. We were introduced to many magnificent birds, my favourite being the barn owl. The amount of knowledge the professionals have on these birds is incr...
My husband and I took part in the Birds of Prey Experience in Kent and had an amazing time. We were introduced to many magnificent birds, my favourite being the barn owl. The amount of knowledge the professionals have on these birds is incredible and we were then able to watch them be flown by the professionals before it was our turn! My original nerves went away as Rio the Harris Hawk who I had the pleasure to fly, was so well trained! We loved seeing them up close. I would highly recommend this experience.
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Staff Review: Bird of Prey Experience in Kent

It’s 2019, and what better way to start the year than to organise some incredible experience visits? Our first visit of the year was to Willows Bird of Prey Centre (great name!) who were kind enough to invite us up to Sevenoaks in Kent to spend the day with their feathered friends. Gemma and I had never taken part in a bird of prey experience, so we were excited to see what the day would entail.

The drive from Brighton and up the A23 was short and simple - straight motorways, a few country roads, and we were there! Look out for Coolings Green and Pleasant Garden Centre; Willows Bird of Prey Centre is located at the back of the building. The car park is large and easily accessible. I was impressed to see how much was going on at the venue, including large nature trails, garden and aquatic facilities, and a cosy café (the menu looked delicious.) You could most certainly make a day of it! After a short wander through the garden centre, we found the Willows Bird of Prey ticket cabin. Once booked in, you’ll have full access to roam the 6-acre nature trail, as well as entry to see the beautiful birds up close! 

Karl was our guide for the day. He met us by the ticket cabin, and led us through to the sanctuary. He was very friendly, and obviously had a keen passion for all the birds which was great to see and hear! The birds are carefully kept in a secure area of the centre, and all name tags are displayed on the front of their homes, so we knew exactly who we were being introduced to! Whilst Karl familiarised us with some of the incredible species, including a red-tailed hawk and an adorable boobook owl called Cosmo, the bird who really stole the show was a newer addition to the family: a raven. What a beautiful and incredibly interactive bird! An impressive part of bird handling – which I’d never heard about before – is ‘imprinting.’ This is used on birds once they hatch to associate them with humans, so they visualise themselves as being ‘one of us’, and is carried out because they don’t automatically know they are a bird when they are born, so they are easier to handle. 


We were now ready for the first flying demonstration of the day! As we headed down through the nature trail towards the field we could spot a number of animals, including wallabies, goats, and ferrets! Yes, ferrets. We were told there would be ferret racing later on, so you can imagine I was rather excited to see what this entailed. Nick was taking the bird of prey session that day, and he announced each bird as they flew from post to post, greedy for snacks. My favourite would have to be Ratchet the beautiful little owl; I can’t deny we all sniggered at his fuzzy moustache! After finding out so much more about the birds, we were ready for the added excitement – that’s right, the ferret racing! Mario, Luigi, and Biscuit were super flexible and ready to race around the tubes for their winning treat. Everyone was cheering, and it was a great laugh to break up the day.


Gemma and I were now booked in for our personal meet and greet with the birds, to learn exactly how to handle and fly them. Gemma had Rio the Harris hawk, and I was introduced to a very gentle barn owl. Gemma was up first. Karl pulled out the thick bird-handling glove and Rio instantly flew straight over and perched on her arm - obviously wanting a snack! Rio was smooth and delicate, and watching him fly freely around the field was incredible to see. I was up next with the adorable Scrumpy the Barn Owl. The 5-year-old owl was a delight to handle, and a great model to take up-close photos of. The final part of our bird-handling experience was exceptional. We were introduced to Delilah, a beautiful falcon built for speed and precision. She darted through the sky, pinpointing her moment to soar towards Karl with the food swinging about. He mentioned that just a few minutes’ flying would be the equivalent of a human running a marathon! Not bad a for a couple of minutes of exercise… 


Our session came to an end, so Gemma and I had to say goodbye to the birds. We’d like to say a huge thank you to Lauren for organising our visit, as well as Karl and the team for being so friendly and welcoming. We had an amazing time and will most definitely be visiting Willows Bird of Prey Centre again!


Questions about Willows Bird of Prey Centre Kent Experience

Do you get to fly the birds yourself during this experience?

Yes, you will fly between 2/4 birds depending on the group size and weather conditions on the day. 

Are spectators allowed on this Kent Birds of Prey Experience? I note that there is a nature trail which we would all like to do part of. What is the cost of entering this trail for us? Any café nearby? 

Spectators are allowed on the birds of prey experience, but they are subject to standard entrance price which is £6.99 per adult and £4.49 per child. Spectators are able to shadow the experience but will not be allowed in some areas.

The nature trail is included in all experiences but as above spectators are subject to the above costs.

There is a cafe on site also serving breakfast, and lunch meals alongside hot drinks.


Can we take photos on the day for the Bird of Prey Experience in Kent?

Yes you're allowed to bring a camera along and take photos.

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