On April 21, 2023, Medieval Studies partnered with the Spurlock Museum for a film screening and falconry demonstration, and attendees flocked to the event! Local falconry enthusiasts joined the Medieval Studies community for a screening of the 2020 documentary film Overland, as well as a talkback with the film's director, Revere LaNoue, and one of its subjects, anthropologist Dr. Lauren McGough. The wide-ranging discussion highlighted the unique nature of human-bird relationships and allowed viewers to appreciate those partnerships in environments from the European forests to the African savannahs and the steppes of Central Asia. 

Before the screening, a crowd of nearly 100 gathered to meet falconers and birds from local rescue and rehabilitation group the Illinois Raptor Center. Adults and kids alike delighted in learning about these beautiful birds. (Photo credits: Peter Mortensen)

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