Dan Frankian

Of Armenian descent, Dan immigrated to Canada with his family when he was 11 years old. Upon graduating from high school, he joined the Canadian Armed Forces and trained as a vehicle technician and a weapons expert.

Dan saw his first bird of prey as a child when hunting with his father. His interest was sparked when he watched one of the hunters using an owl to hunt. As a young man in the Canadian Armed Forces, a foreign dignitary who was a falconer befriended him; thus began his endeavor into the world of birds of prey. He spent time with a falconry expert in Cyprus while on leave from the Canadian Armed Forces. This gentleman was a Master Falconer who taught Dan the knowledge required to train and take care of birds of prey, particularly eagles.

After leaving the Armed Forces as a sniper, Dan returned home to Toronto and enrolled at George Brown College, obtaining a Certificate in Jewelry Arts. He also acquired diplomas as a Fellow of the Canadian Gemological Association and its US counterpart, the Gemological Institute of America. He joined the family business (his father was a 3rd generation jeweler), working in partnership with his father and managing their store in the Yorkville area of Toronto.

However, his interest in falconry never diminished and he founded his bird control business in 1989. Hawkeye Bird and Animal Control quickly grew from a one-man operation using one hawk and expanded to a business with 14 staff members and more than a dozen birds of prey. There are now several offices in Canada.

Dan Frankian has worked nationally, as well as internationally, for various government agencies and large corporations. His international portfolio includes projects in the Galapagos Islands, Thailand and the United States. Dan Frankian’s birds of prey and dogs have appeared in and have opened for several live shows and TV shows and documentaries, as well as full feature movies such as Harry Potter.

Dan Frankian continues to speak at events and conferences worldwide, discussing such issues as bird and animal control, bird removal, bird strikes and abatement. As an expert outdoorsman, hunter and trapper, he is concerned with environmental issues and renewable natural resources.

Dan Frankian holds a Canadian commercial falconry license, a Master Falconry Permit in the State of Florida, an Ontario Fur Managers license for commercial fur and trapping nuisance wildlife as well as numerous firearms licenses, Advanced Wildlife Control Operator, Exterminator License, is Bats Standard Certified, and a Certified Urban Marksman.

Dan is the ONLY CWCP (Certified Wildlife Control Professional) IN CANADA plus holding CWCP certification in the US. 

In order to obtain this designation, Dan Frankian was required to complete 800 hours of specific training. 200 hours of safety training, 200 hours of biology, 200 hours of technical and job specific training, and 200 hours of speciality work training. Not only has he completed this training, but he has also assisted in teaching this training to prospective CWCP candidates. A final exam was held in which Dan Frankian’s skill and knowledge was put to the test. Chaired by a panel of judges (peer review) and the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, this exam is quite difficult and required a minimum 90% final score, of which Dan successfully achieved. To uphold this certification, in addition to the extensive training, exam, and the submission of an application, Dan must hold a minimum of two NWCOA certifications and uphold all of his company’s activity in accordance with the code of ethics laid out by the NWCOA.

The NWCOA is the National Wildlife Control Operators Association. Dan Frankian currently holds four of these certifications including Advanced Wildlife Control Operator (AWCOT), Bird Barrier Certified Installer, Certified Wildlife Control Professional (CWCP), and Structural Bird Management Professional both in Florida and Ontario and is working on becoming certified in all NWCOA Control Operator divisions. In addition to all of these certifications, Dan also holds a Commercial Falconry Permit in Ontario as well as a Master Falconry Permit in Florida.

Since Dan was certified as CWCP, there are a few criteria that have changed for potential candidates. A successful candidate must have 5 years of Wildlife Control Operator experience totalling over 10,000 hours, or 10,000 hours over an 8 year period for part time workers. Dan far exceeds these criteria with 30 years of experience under his belt as CEO of Hawkeye Bird Control LLC in the U.S. and Hawkeye Bird & Animal Control Inc. in Canada. A potential candidate must still obtain training and uphold a minimum of two NWCOA certifications. A final exam is still conducted, but the passing grade is 85% and can be completed online now instead of in front of a panel of judges.  All candidates are still required to follow and uphold the Code of Ethics outlined by the NWCOA, and an application still must be submitted inclusive of all qualifications.

The CWCP designation is the highest award of merit possible for Bird Control, Animal Control, Pest Control, Bird Strike, Falconry, and Bird of Prey Rehabilitation, which many strive for, but very few achieve. In order to maintain this designation, there is continual training and dedication to creating, promoting, and strengthening the professional standards in the wildlife control industry. Not only does Dan exceed these expectations, he attends countless new course to upgrade his portfolio and  also holds certification and licenses for Wildlife Rehabilitation, Ontario Pesticide Training, Canadian Firearms Safety Course, Ontario Fur Trappers Licence, Pest Control Licence, Airport Wildlife Hazard Management, Canadian Outdoors Card and Hunting Permit, Handgun Safety Course Proficiency, Urban Coyote Control, OPP G8 Safety and Training Course, and Bird Control Installation Specialist.

This CWCP designation and all of his additional credentials really sets Dan Frankian apart as a thoroughly trained, well experienced, and ethical professional. His companies, Hawkeye Bird & Animal Control INC in Canada and Hawkeye Bird Control LLC in the United States of America, are accredited businesses with a CEO who has been peer-reviewed and tested by a national trade association. Many great ethical contributions and wildlife initiatives will be in the future for Dan Frankian, as well as a continual dedication to environmental impact control and human safety in Hawkeye’s everyday operations.

Dan is also a graduate of the Embry-Riddle Wildlife Hazard airport course and runs a rehabilitation clinic for injured wild birds of prey out of his home.

Dan is a staunch supporter for the preservation of birds of prey, as they continue to be a key barometer of a healthy natural environment.