International Association for Falconry and Conservation of Birds of Prey

13/06/2026

09/06/2026

How can raptor reintroduction and reinforcement programmes help reverse population declines and what does it take for them to succeed?

The Coordinating Unit of the Raptors MOU is pleased to launch a new report drawing on case studies and interviews with practitioners and policy experts involved in conservation programmes. 🦅

The report highlights that reintroduction and reinforcement can be important tools where threats such as poisoning, habitat loss and poaching have contributed to serious declines.

It also shows that success depends on much more than releasing birds: careful feasibility studies, threat reduction, stakeholder collaboration, community engagement, sustained funding and long-term post-release monitoring are all key.

📅 Join our webinar on Thursday 11 June 2026, 13:00-14:00 (GMT+4, Abu Dhabi time)

Click to learn more: https://raptors.cms.int/eventcalendar/webinar-raptors-reintroduction-and-reinforcement-programmes-experiences-field

08/06/2026

Join the IFC Sustainability Webinar: Preventing Bird Electrocution on Power Distribution Lines

The IAF is pleased to invite all interested parties to participate in the upcoming IFC Sustainability Webinar: Preventing Bird Electrocution on Distribution Lines taking place on the 11th of June at 14:30 - 16:00 (UTC+02:00). You may register to participate via this link: https://worldbankgroup.webex.com/weblink/register/rfb983c2293609e0b0b8526f18f9d0423

This webinar will promote the newly published IFC and EBRD Tip Sheet: Preventing Bird Electrocution on Distribution Lines, an important guidance document designed to help financial institutions, developers, utilities, and infrastructure operators reduce bird mortality caused by power infrastructure.

We encourage you to share this invitation with colleagues and specialists who may be interested, particularly those working in the electricity distribution sector, infrastructure development, environmental management, or sustainable finance.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have developed this Tip Sheet as practical guidance for projects financed by international financial institutions. The document provides recommendations to help ensure that new and upgraded distribution lines are designed and operated in ways that minimize bird electrocution risks.

IAF's long-term commitment

IAF's work on bird electrocution began following research conducted by Andrew Dixon in Mongolia, which highlighted the severe impact of unsafe power infrastructure on raptor populations, including endangered falcons.
Key milestones in this effort include:
* 2014 – IAF published the statement "A Shocking Fate for Thousands of Endangered Falcons".
* 2014 – The electrocution threat was incorporated into the CMS Raptors MoU Saker Falcon Global Action Plan as one of the species' principal threats.
* 2014 – During the Falconry Festival in Mongolia, IAF convened a panel involving Mongolian authorities and electricity-sector specialists. At this meeting, Janusz Sielicki proposed engaging financial institutions as a means of promoting bird-safe power infrastructure.
* 2016 – IAF successfully proposed and secured adoption of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Resolution WCC-2016-Rec-098-EN: Preventing Electrocution and Collision Impacts of Power Infrastructure on Birds.
* 2017 – Former IAF CEO Gary Timbrell established contact with Robert Adamczyk, Head of the Energy Sector Team within EBRD's Environment and Sustainability Department. Discussions highlighted the need for simple, practical guidance tailored to the banking sector.
* 2019 – IAF published a comprehensive booklet on preventing bird electrocution and launched the dedicated portal BirdElectrocution.org, making resources available in 14 languages.
* 2020 – In cooperation with IFC, EBRD, and leading experts (Janusz Sielicki, Álvaro Camiña, Lori Anna Conzo, José Rafael Garrido, Justo Martín Martín, and Robert Adamczyk), IAF published the Quick Guidance for Preventing Electrocution Impacts on Birds.
* 2020 – IAF successfully advocated for the expansion of the CMS Energy Task Force mandate to include bird electrocution among its core areas of work.
*
From concept to global guidance

Between 2020 and 2023, extensive collaboration took place between IAF, IFC, and EBRD to transform the original guidance into a practical tool suitable for use across the financial sector. Through numerous consultations, reviews, and revisions, the document evolved into the IFC Tip Sheet being promoted today.
The publication of this Tip Sheet represents a significant achievement for bird conservation. It demonstrates how a conservation concern identified in the field can be translated into practical standards that influence investment decisions and infrastructure development around the world.

What began as an idea discussed at a conference in Mongolia in 2014 has, after more than a decade of sustained effort, resulted in internationally recognised guidance that can help prevent the deaths of countless birds from unsafe power infrastructure.

IAF is proud to have initiated and supported this process from its earliest stages and looks forward to continuing cooperation with partners across the conservation, energy, and finance sectors.

We hope you will join the webinar and help spread the word.

Electrocution is now the single most important cause of mortality for a number of endangered species, killing hundred of thousands of birds each year.

03/06/2026

June 3 marks the birth of Gage Earle Freeman (1820–1903), one of the leading figures in 19th century British falconry.

Known to readers of The Field magazine under the pseudonym “Peregrine,” Freeman devoted much of his life to hawking and became especially respected for his work with peregrines, goshawks, merlins, and sparrowhawks. His expertise was widely recognized by fellow falconers, including Lord Lilford, who later wrote that Freeman “did more to keep English falconers in the right way than any of his contemporaries.”

In 1859, Freeman co-authored “Falconry, Its Claims, History and Practice” with Captain Francis Henry Salvin, a work that remains an important contribution to falconry literature. Beyond falconry, he was also an accomplished poet and four-time recipient of Cambridge University’s Seatonian Prize.

Today, Freeman is remembered for both his influence on British falconry and his lasting contributions to falconry writing and history.

Learn more about his life and contributions in our catalog:
https://falconry.catalogaccess.com/people/159

02/06/2026

📬 Have you updated your contact details yet?

We're currently preparing to send out the latest edition of our journal to members and subscribers - and we want to make sure your copy reaches you!

As we are in the process of transitioning to a new membership management system, our records are currently being updated. If you haven't already responded to our recent communications regarding the database migration, we kindly ask you to do so by sending us an email at --> [email protected] with your current contact details, particularly your postal address.

If you have already been in touch - thank you! No further action is needed on your part.

The journal will be dispatched in the coming weeks, so don't delay - we'd hate for you to miss it!

Thank you for helping us keep our records accurate and stay in touch with our members and supporters.

07/05/2026

Congratulations Dwight Dreezen, elected this weekend president of Club Marie de Bourgogne, and to Mandy, who was elected to the CMB board. Dwight and Mandy are among the finest of IHC's regular visitors from overseas. Here's hoping they find time to keep on visiting us!

14/04/2026

In Memoriam - Danny Pickens

NAFA mourns the passing of Dr. Danny Pickens on April 11, 2026. Danny was a true friend, mentor, and steady presence in the falconry community. He leaves behind a lasting legacy of faith, wisdom, and service that extends far beyond falconry.
Danny wasn’t just a longtime Texas falconer—he was a cornerstone of our community. He gave countless years of service to the Texas Hawking Association, serving as editor (twice), vice president, and president. He also gave back to the broader falconry world through his work with NAFA as Hawk Chalk editor, Central Director, and Journal editor. But titles never really captured who Danny was. He simply showed up, again and again, and gave his time, wisdom, and heart to the people and the sport he loved.
If you spent any time in the field with Danny, you know what made him special. He loved flying peregrines, especially hunting ducks, and many of us had the privilege of watching him fly his gyr/peregrine hybrid, Phoenix. For over 15 years, he and Phoenix made memories across Texas and beyond, taking ducks in places and ways most of us only dream about. But what stands out even more than the flights were the days themselves—early mornings, long walks, and the quiet excitement of sharing the experience with Danny.
He welcomed people in so easily. It didn’t matter if you were from Texas or out of state—if you wanted to hunt, learn, and be part of it, Danny made room for you. And somewhere between the hunts and the long drives, you’d find yourself in one of those conversations—talking about life, faith, and everything in between. He had a way of making those moments feel easy and meaningful at the same time.
Danny carried himself with a calm, steady kindness that’s hard to describe but impossible to forget. He encouraged people, lifted them up, and shared his knowledge without ever making it about himself. In 2018, THA recognized that impact with a Lifetime Honorary Membership—an honor he truly earned through years of quiet dedication.
In 2019, Danny was forced to step away from falconry after being diagnosed with Pigeon Lung Disease. It was a difficult loss for him, but even then, he turned outward—helping others understand the risks and speaking up so fellow falconers could be better informed. That was who he was.
Even without birds in his life, Danny never lost his love for the outdoors. He found new ways to stay connected, especially through photography, capturing the beauty of the natural world he cared so deeply about.
Those of us who knew him will miss more than we can say—the calm voice, the thoughtful advice, the shared miles on the road, and the simple comfort of being in his presence. He left a mark on all of us, and we can take comfort in knowing he is now where he belongs, in the presence of the Lord he loved so much.
Fly high, Danny. We’ll carry your memory with us every time we step into the field.

03/04/2026

NAFA leadership attended the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference to provide input to the Flyway Councils and meet with agency staff this week. President Martin Geleynse, Vice-president Heath Garner, and Board Vice-chair Corey Roelke attended to provide NAFA's position and additional information regarding the draft environmental assessment for normalized peregrine falcon take from the wild for falconry, as well as allocated golden eagle take protocol [rotation of responsibility between flyways]. The team met with Flyway representatives, HPAI monitoring specialists with USGS and USDA, as well as USFWS Director Nevsik and House Natural Resource Committee staff.

15/03/2026

12/03/2026