Hawkhouse Falconry
Hannah Atkinson
State-Licensed Master Falconer
& Federal "Falconry School" Permit Holder
Hannah has 12 years of hands-on experience with hawks. She has worked as a professional abatement falconer and a wildlife educator.
From 2019-2025, Hannah ran the Eyes in the Sky education program for Santa Barbara Audubon Society, which presented non-releasable birds of prey to audiences of about 25,000 people per year. As of 2026, she has returned to the East Coast and now works with Cornell Raptor Program.​
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A proud member of IAATE, Hannah currently sits on the Enrichment and Education Committees. She is dedicated to promoting choice-based, least-intrusive training methods for animals in human care.
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Hannah founded Hawkhouse Falconry, LLC to spend more of her time in education and advocacy.
Bones
6-year-old Harris's Hawk
Bones hatched in 2020 at an aviary near Los Angeles, California. He was a noisy, pushy juvenile and didn't get along well with other hawks, so he spent the first year of his life trying out different jobs. He hunted rats and rabbits as a falconry bird, patrolled the local hospital to scare off gulls and pigeons, and finally became an education ambassador.
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Among hawks, Harrises are special: instead of living solitary lives, they hunt cooperatively in family groups. Called the "wolves of the sky" for their pack tactics, Harrises have become a favored bird of falconers and educators worldwide. They're bright and curious problem-solvers who love to explore.
Dot
Baby Eastern Screech-owl
Dot is a "dual-imprinted" bird, raised by her owl parents and also by human caretakers. Because she's spent her life in the human world, she's well-socialized and unafraid of people. In this photo, she's only four weeks old!
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Eastern Screech-owls are shy nighttime hunters found throughout the Northeast. Despite the fearsome-sounding name, they tend to call with a soft, "bouncy" trill. These owls stay small, barely larger than a robin, and they're talented at catching mice.
Apricot
2-year-old Corn Snake
Unlike our raptors, Apricot is an animal ambassador that guests can touch and hold! She's a type of rat snake: common, harmless, and found throughout the Northeast. These snakes participate in the same ecosystem as our native hawks and owls. They hunt mice and rats, keeping our neighborhoods clean and healthy.
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Apricot is a calm and curious snake. She can join any presentation where guests would like to handle a live animal.