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Hawks hired to scare off seagulls at The Open in Portrush

Davy Wilson
BBC News NI
Clear Skies Falconry A Harris hawk sits motionless in front of a Rolex clock at the Open golf tournament in Royal Portrush golf club.The bird is looking to its left.Clear Skies Falconry
The Harris hawks have been wowing the crowd at The Open

Golf fans flocking to Northern Ireland's north coast to watch The Open will be hoping to see more than a fair share of birdies and eagles.

But it is a team of birdies of the feathered variety that are working hard to protect the golfing public over the coming days.

A cast of Harris hawks has been drafted in by tournament organisers to keep hungry seagulls away from the course.

Falconer David Trenier told BBC News NI the hawks are making sure golf fans can enjoy their food in peace.

"They are very, very sociable, used to working with large crowds and are big enough to spook the gulls enough to move them off," he said.

Four hawks have been on the course "morning and night" since the gates opened to the public on Sunday, Mr Trenier said.

The birds - named Aurora, Belle, Caine and Cheyenne - will rotate in shifts throughout the tournament.

The team from Clear Skies Falconry Pest Control is specifically tasked with patrolling the skies over areas where food is served.

Clear Skies Falconry A man and woman stand side by side, each dressed in a blue shirt and each holding a Harris hawk on their well protected arms. Both people are smiling. Both birds, which are a mix of shades of brown in colour, are motionless. A sign behind them showcases the Open championship golf tournament.Clear Skies Falconry
Hawks Cheyenne (left) and Caine (right) and their handlers are part of a team that patrol the skies over the Portrush golf course

Situated on the north Antrim coast, Portrush is a familiar haunt for seagulls.

Often, Mr Trenier said, the gulls can have "an aggressive nature for food".

"When they come in, the presence of the hawk on the course puts them off, they make sure the gulls don't come down" he said.

They are the ideal bird for the job, Mr Trenier added, and a "clean and green method of pest control".

It is a method used frequently at other major sporting events.

Previous Open Championships at Troon and St Andrews have similarly called on birds of prey, while Rufus, an American Harris hawk, has been scaring pigeons at Wimbledon for more than 15 years.

PA Media Rufus the Harris hawk pictured against the blurred background of covered outside courts at Wimbledon.PA Media
Rufus first patrolled Wimbledon in 2008, when he was only 16 weeks old

The tournament-going public seem to love them, Mr Trenier said.

"It is so lovely to see the public reaction, they want to talk and they want to ask questions.

"The kids want to have a picture taken and know more about them."

Clear Skies Falconry Shows a bald eagle with white feathered head, dark feathers in its body and a yellow beak, in front of a wall and grass. Clear Skies Falconry
Pilgrim, a 24-year-old bald eagle, will be at The Open this weekend

The Harris hawks will be joined over the weekend by Pilgrim - Clear Skies Falconry's 24-year-old bald eagle.

"He will definitely disturb the gulls," Mr Trenier said.

He added that Pilgrim's presence also tips a cap to the large contingent of American golfers playing at Portrush because the species is the national bird of the United States.

More than 275,000 spectators are expected during the eight days of practice and competition, making it the largest sporting event held in Northern Ireland.