Nature's a Hoot

They’re one of the world’s most powerful eagles. With their long wingspan and at a bulky 4kg or more, the Martial Eagle is also Africa’s largest, dominating the sky they fly in as they take their place as an apex predator. They’re a truly awesome species. The downside though is that they’re under threat. Join Tom as he talks to South African-based conservation biologist Dr Megan Murgatroyd about the work she’s doing to gather information about the species that could prove invaluable to their survival as a species into the future.

The African Harrier Hawk is a species of bird of prey with surprising adaptations - from having a wider visual field to potentially double-jointed legs! Over the last few years, our conservation and research team, alongside scientists from other research institutions have been studying them to find out more. Join Tom as he chats to Dr Simon Poitier about new research being conducted at the Trust, studying resident African Harrier Hawks, Josephine and Baba, and how the study’s findings could be beneficial to the species’ conservation and even helpful in the world of robotic sciences.

It's no secret, here at the Hawk Conservancy Trust we love talking about birds of prey! But for many species across the world, things are not looking good. It’s arguably never been more important to get excited about nature than it is today. In this episode of Nature's a Hoot, join Tom as he chats to actor, artist and fellow wildlife podcaster David Oakes! Listen all about finding time for nature, tracking golden eagles and how arts and creativity can support conservation.

The Little Owl is the smallest species of owls in the UK - standing no more than 23cm tall! The Hawk Conservancy Trust has been monitoring and supporting Little Owls through our Raptor Nest Box Project for over 15 years. We’ll hear from Dr Matt Stevens (conservation biologist at the Trust) as he tells us more about this charismatic native species and the work he does to help conserve them.

Over the vast expanse of water, wind whipping up the salty air onto the land, there are a great many sights and sounds to be heard along our British coastline and over our wetland habitats. This ocean biome is home not only to species of fish and gulls, but also to the largest bird of prey in the UK – the White-tailed Eagle. Join Tom as he chats to Steve Egerton-Read - the White-tailed Eagle Project Officer for Forestry England – about this incredible species.

Way up in the mountainous slopes, in Europe, Africa and Asia, one of the world’s rarest vultures soars high above the rock and snow in search of a meal. At first glance, you could be forgiven for thinking you’ve spotted some mythological creature – the orange-tinted feathers and diamond/wedge-shaped tail more akin to stories of dragons than vultures. This time, Tom discovers more about one of the most striking yet endangered vulture species in the world - the Bearded Vulture.

In open prairies and grassland from Western Canada all the way to Mexico, an owl digs in the soil, excavating an underground home. This is the Burrowing Owl, a curious bird with a surprising lifestyle of sub-terrain living and a taste for beetles and small rodents. Join Tom as he digs under the surface to explore the underground life of the Burrowing Owl – a species of tiny stature but huge character.

Able to navigate the interwoven branches of our native woodland with ease and with an practically unrivalled reputation for hunting ability, the Goshawk is an almost legendary bird of prey. Join Tom and Hawk Conservancy Trust President, Chris Packham, as they share their passion for this impressive native bird of prey.

The Lappet-faced Vulture is one of the largest species of vulture in the world with a wingspan of over 2.5m and weighing in at around 7kg! Despite their impressive build, they are a species in desperate need of our support. This month, as we join with collections and organisations around the world by taking part in International Vulture Awareness Day on 2 September, Tom teams up with our Head of Conservation and Research, Dr Campbell Murn, to present our plans to support this incredible but endangered vulture.

No matter what the image you have in your mind is when it comes to vultures, the Egyptian Vulture implores you to make a reassessment. They’re smart, can easily equal any eagle when it comes to soaring ability and must have the funkiest white hair-do (feather-do?) of any bird of prey! Join us as we discover more about the Egyptian Vulture and the work being done to protect this endangered species.

With pure white feathers and piercing yellow eyes, the Snowy Owl is probably one of the most recognisable species of birds of prey in the world. This is a species which thrives where other species of birds of prey are seldom found - in some of the coldest regions on our planet. Discover how this species survives in it’s sub-zero habitat, what they find to eat in their tundra landscape and how scientists are studying their movements in the wild to understand how threatened they might be and what can be done to support them.

Take a dive into the world of speed with the species awarded the title of fastest animal in the world – the Peregrine Falcon. Discover just how fast these birds can travel, how they’re faring in the wild in the UK and the part that the Hawk Conservancy Trust plays in giving Peregrine Falcons and many other species of raptors every chance at success.

Striated Caracara are one of the most interesting and charismatic species of birds of prey in the world. They are also considered some of the smartest birds of prey, often being thought of more like a raven or crow than as a falcon. Striated Caracaras have historically been dubbed ‘flying monkeys’ and ‘flying devils’ thanks to their inquisitive and somewhat heavy handed (or should that be taloned?) approach to life. Join Tom as he chats to Katie Harrington, a research biologist who has worked hard to understand the movements and behaviour of populations of Striated Caracaras on the Falklands – even inventing puzzles for them to solve! We also challenge Sirius, one of the resident Striated Caracaras at the Trust, to solve a puzzle he’s never seen before.

It’s possibly the most bizarre looking bird of prey you’ll ever see and certainly one of the largest. With a great crown of long feathers upon their head, a bright orange face and long legs standing them at almost 4ft tall, it’s seems as if the Secretary Bird would be more at home in Jurassic Park or the artwork of a Dr Seuss book. Find out about their striking (in more ways than one!) adaptations and the research we’ve undertaken to better understand this fascinating species.

Ugly, menacing and unhygienic – Just some of the words you might have heard to describe some of the world’s most efficient scavengers – the vultures. These winged carrion-eaters have long since been synonymous with death and destruction. Our popular culture likens them to our least favoured political figures and even children’s film and television label them as the bad guys. But do vultures really live up to this cruel and cowardly reputation or is there more to it than that?

A taste of what to expect from Nature's a Hoot, the podcast from the Hawk Conservancy Trust. Discover a fascinating world of feathers and talons in our podcast dedicated to birds of prey and their place in the natural world. Join us and uncover hidden secrets of these feathered predators to help us understand how we can conserve some of the most endangered species on our planet today.

In recent years, the Red Kite has made a phenomenal come-back to our British skies. Get to know these beautiful birds of prey a little better and understand how they made it back from the brink of extinction in the UK in this episode featuring Dr Matt Stevens (Conservation Biologist at the Hawk Conservancy Trust).

Whether it be by watching the amount of energy we’re using at home, ditching single-use plastics or just letting the grass grow wild in the garden, there seems to be countless ways that we can help our planet in peril. But it’s hard to keep the doom and gloom at bay and does any of it really make a difference anyway? Join Tom as he chats to Emma Brisdion, science communicator and fellow podcaster (For What It’s Earth, The Lodge Cast, Small Screen Science) specialising in sustainability and finding the little things we can all do to make a big difference in the midst of a climate crisis.

Come along on a walk through the grounds of the Hawk Conservancy Trust after hours as Hannah and Tom join Mark Ison (Bird Team member and ecologist) to complete a survey of the on-site wild bat population. Learn more about these intriguing flying mammals and how to identify some of the more common species found in the UK. The Matter of Fact Challenge returns as our hosts each champion a species for the top spot for best camouflage.The podcast bids a reluctant but fond farewell to Hannah.

Join Hannah and Tom in the next episode of Nature’s a Hoot as they continue their conversation with journalist, marine biologist and wildlife filmmaker, Dawood Qureshi. This time we delve more into representation in nature and Dawood explains why improving inclusion and diversity is so important, drawing on their own experience as a trans, Muslim, person of colour. As a fellow podcaster Dawood also chats about how her journey in storytelling began with podcasting, both as a host and guest, and featuring on a Jurassic Park podcast, and how she connects with nature.