Excerpt from "Raptors in Society"

"Raptors are such a cultural phenomenon with mainstream America that you can find the impact they have made on humanity almost anywhere you look. To clarify, when I say “raptor,” I don’t mean the terrifying reptilian monsters that hunt for man-flesh in Jurassic Park, but rather the avian bird of prey that has so fascinated man for thousands of years.

            This attraction has manifested itself in many different ways, one being falconry, the sport of hunting birds with raptors of an assorted menagerie, which can be traced back to the ancient Greeks, Romans and Chinese. The sport spread throughout history and became especially popular with medieval Europe and Japan. Falconry, along with the immigrants, migrated to America and is still legal (with some restrictions) and enjoyed in 48 states. Humans, being historically hunters ourselves, must have been awed and even envious of the ease with which a skilled falcon could make a kill. For a species so prone to violence, it must have been eye candy."