An avian education
Published: 01 July, 2007
Over 200 children from seven Edinburgh primary schools flocked to the Gyle shopping centre recently to discover all there is to know about wild birds.
The fun and educational 'Winged Wonders' event provided pupils from local primary schools with a unique insight into the lives of our feathered friends. In three specially designed workshops the children learned about the many different species of birds that live around the world, the important role the creatures play in the environment, and how they can help them thrive.
Each class was astounded by the power and beauty of the birds of prey brought to the centre by Phoenix Falconry. Adrian Hallgarth, falconer and owner of the Perthshire-based company, spoke to the children about the lives of these amazing creatures, including Syrup, the American bald eagle (pictured), and showed them how elegant they are in flight by putting on several memorable, if short, flying demonstrations.
Gyle centre manager Andrew Cronie says: "More and more people are paying attention to the environment nowadays and the recent BBC Springwatch programme shows that wildlife, and birds in particular, are of tremendous interest to the general public. Our 'Winged Wonders' event provided pupils from schools local to the Gyle with a huge amount of useful information, which we hope will help them understand just how important these creatures are, how they live, and what the young people themselves can do to help them survive."
