# Falconry



## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Most of you guys know me from my Pan posts LOL, but long before I got "Goat Fever" I had an obsession for birds in general, parrots and raptors in particular.
Satisfying my parrot urges was fairly simple; get a pet budgie when I was ten, tame him, teach him tricks. Then get a cockatiel. Eventually end up with over a hundred breeder and pet tiels and get into showing ACS (American Cockatiel Society). Start working for a crappy bird store, learn a lot of things NOT to do LOL. Get job at awesome bird store and learn how much there was for me to learn about the huge variety of parrots. Work for large aviary (owned by same people as awesome bird store) of over a thousand parrots, over a hundred different species. Learn incubation and handfeeding techniques.
But my love of raptors was much harder to satiate. Here in the US one has to go through a very specific process in order to become a liscenced falconer. One must find a sponsor (a person who is already a liscenced general or master falconer and is willing to work one on one with you and take responsibility for you for a minimum of two years). You must build your mews (hawk house) and weathering area (an enclosed area where bird has access to sun and shade etc... yet is safe and secure). You must make or purchase equipment: gauntlet for yourself, anklets, jesses and leash for bird, scale to weigh bird daily and provide proof that you can provide appropriate food for bird. Then you must have all these things inspected by your state dept of fish and game. Then you must pass an extensive written test.
Once you have accomplished all this then you are allowed to trap your first wild raptor. In most cases it will be a passage (first year) redtailed hawk. (Hopefully) with your sponsors help you man (tame) and train your bird to fly to you for betchins (tidbits of meat). At first on a leash, then on a creance (an approx 100ft to 100 meter very lightweight but strong leash) and then completely free. 
Then you start hunting with your hawk. This can be done "following on" (where the bird flies from tree to tree as you attempt to flush game) of "off the fist" which is as it sounds; you (and possibly other people) attempt to flush game. Once game is flushed the bird is released from the glove.
I started with a PFRT (passage female red tail) and hunted her for one season. I lost her to her intense prey drive, she crashed into a fence in pursuit of game and broke her neck . My second bird was a PMRT (passage male red tail) who I flew for a season and then released back into the wild.
Then I purchased a brancher (bird nearly ready to leave the nest but feathers not quite grown in all the way) lanner falcon. A lanner falcon is a non-regulated species because they are not native to the US, they are from Africa. I purchased Star from a private breeder here in the states.
I played around with her, but never hunted her to her full potential, and I let my paperwork lapse.
Then four years ago I worked with FL fish and game to get my liscence upgraded to General status. Then I was given the bird I'd been wanting since I first started seriously researching falconry; a harris hawk.
Harris hawks are a rarity in the raptor world, they are social in nature. In the wild they live and hunt in family groups. They form a strong bond with their falconers and take to hunting with you very naturally. They actually crave your company.
Okay, my fingers are getting tired LOL. I'll post a couple pics of Caprica Six, my beloved bird .


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Here is Caprica: First pic is of her in her mews on her "nest". The second is of her on a squirrel she caught.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

What a beauty! Does she eat her catch?


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Woodhavenfarm said:


> What a beauty! Does she eat her catch?


Thank you, Woodhaven, I happen to think she's the most lovely HH in the world .
Yes, she does eat most of what she catches, but let me clarify that: When she first catches a prey animal (mostly squirrels around here, but occasionally a rabbit) I approach her quickly but carefully to help her dispatch the prey quickly. I have a spike tool that I use for "pithing" (pithing is to puncture the skull and destroy the brain and it is considered by the American Veterinarian Association (or something along those lines) to be an acceptable form of euthanasia).
Then I help her by opening up a part of the carcass for her to eat from. After she's eaten a little I toss her "lure" (her lure is a folded piece of daisy mat on a six foot line attached to a retractable dog leash). The lure has a nice sized chunk of meat attached to it, usually from one of her previous kills. Then she usually "transferrs" (jumps to) the lure to eat that meat. While she does that I subtly place the fresh carcass in my game vest (where she cannot see it). Once she's finished with the meat on the lure I offer her a betchin on my glove and she transferrs to that. I should also add that once the prey is dispatched I hook one of Cappy's jesses to a very short leash on my glove.
I don't do multiple kills (in one day) with her. Most falconers do with a bird as seasoned as Caprica, and I might in the future, but I don't right now.
Then we return home. I return Caprica to her mews. I clean the carcass and if I feel she needs more to eat that day I give her more of the fresh carcass. Then I package the carcass in pieces for future use. Some of it will be used to feed her on days that we don't hunt, some will be saved for the moult (late spring and summer when she replaces all her feathers every year and we don't hunt then).
If she catches a rabbit I do all the same things but also save the backstrap for myself .


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

What a wonderful use. You are a very responsible falconer.


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Woodhavenfarm said:


> What a wonderful use. You are a very responsible falconer.


Thank you, Woodhaven .
I am certainly no exceptional falconer. To be a falconer in the US one must be a responsible falconer (of course there's always the occasional "bad apple").
Most of us who become falconers do so for a love of the birds, a love of nature and a longing to somehow be a part of nature. Others have put it far more poetically, but that's what it boils down to.
For me, there is nothing in the world like having a hawk flying as your companion and partner in her quest for prey. The feeling you get when you hold your glove up and whistle, and then, sometimes out of nowhere, here comes that majestic hawk to light on your glove, is indescribable.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Beautiful falcon!


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

ksalvagno said:


> Beautiful falcon!


Thank you Karen!
But actually she's a hawk, not a falcon. There are several types of birds of prey used for falconry here in the US. Falcons aka longwings including the peregrine, the kestrel, the aplomado and the gyrfalcon. Then there are the broadwinged hawks, including the red-tailed, the red-shouldered (rarely hunted with), the ferruginious, and my favorite (obviously) the harris hawk. Then there are the shortwinged hawks aka "true hawks", the sharp-shinned, the coopers and the goshawk. Then there are the eagles and here in the US falconers are only allowed to hunt with golden eagles. And every once in a while a falconer will take up the challenge of training and hunting a great horned owl .


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Wow, didn't know there were so many types of hawks!


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## Springbett Farm (Jan 5, 2011)

I sure wish you lived near me! I know there is a falconer about 10 miles from me, but I don't know who he is. He just lost his hawk last year(it flew off). I think it was a goshawk, but I'm not certain. Fifteen years ago,I worked at Sea World, San Diego, in a concession stand by the Bird Show and the trainers would take out about four Harris Hawks and let them fly tree to tree during breaks between shows. I went gaga. They also had a Peregrine Falcon and some other cool birds of prey. I have always loved falconry. As a matter of fact, I dressed up as Etienne Navarre from LadyHawke.Yes, I knew he was a male character,... but he had a hawk! lol I made the costume myself and the falcon, too.


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

Its beautiful! When I lived in Alaska I was a rehabber for the local raptor center. I did many smaller birds at home, several ravens (they are amazing too! you should check into them) and assisted with the feeding and cleaning of the mews. I didn't have the proper setup and security at my house for raptors. But I got to assist with bald eagle training, surgery, injections, etc. They are such smart birds.

Here in Hawaii I've seen many Hawaiian Hawks, I can't wait to get closer.

I have a good friend that rehabs and works with turkey vultures, she swears they are the smartest creatures she's ever met!

the more of your posts I read the more I realize we have in common! My parrots are really my life though, the goats are very awesome and cool but my parrots are my true "calling".


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## redtailgal (Mar 29, 2011)

ok. cool. lol (sigh of relief).

I am so glad to see that you went thru the proper routes to get your *lovely* bird! (to be blunt, I've met a few of the um......not so great kind).

I dont have time right now, but I'll share some of my pics and stories with you soon.


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

WOW! She is beautiful! It is no wonder you are proud of her! I love her hawk eyes!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Wow, very beautiful.


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## Arkie (Sep 25, 2012)

Nearly 40 years ago I had a customer who hunted a red-tail. He'd come by my shop with the bird occasionally and even got him out on his glove to show us once. When you see em up close and personal you begin to understand the glove! According to him, when "hitting" a rabbit the front claws would be protruding from the one side of the rabbit and the back claw protruding out the other.

Anyone who can tolerate the "cruelty" to the wolves, this is the most fascinating bird video I've ever seen; 




I'd love to attempt falconry, but I know I'll never have the time.

Bob


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

redtailgal said:


> ok. cool.  lol (sigh of relief).
> 
> I am so glad to see that you went thru the proper routes to get your *lovely* bird! (to be blunt, I've met a few of the um......not so great kind).
> 
> I dont have time right now, but I'll share some of my pics and stories with you soon.


Why, thank you .
Yes, I jumped through all the right hoops LOL. It's a shame that you've run into illegal hawk-keepers (I refuse to even call them falconers). The US falconry community at large tries to keep everybody in check and almost all falconers that I know will report someone who tries to keep a bird of prey illegally.
I look forward to hearing your stories and seeing your pics.


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Arkie said:


> Nearly 40 years ago I had a customer who hunted a red-tail. He'd come by my shop with the bird occasionally and even got him out on his glove to show us once. When you see em up close and personal you begin to understand the glove! According to him, when "hitting" a rabbit the front claws would be protruding from the one side of the rabbit and the back claw protruding out the other.
> 
> Anyone who can tolerate the "cruelty" to the wolves, this is the most fascinating bird video I've ever seen;
> 
> ...


Without clicking on your link I suspect I have seen the video. There are a number of videos on the web of Mongolian eagle falconers who hunt wolves with their eagles. It's a thousands-year-old tradition. They do it to control the wolf population where a gunshot could trigger a avalanche. They protect their livestock that way and not a scrap of the quarry is wasted.
I think it's an amazing tradition and I would love to one day spend some time with a Mongolian eagle falconer to learn from them.


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

I got a new hood for Caprica in the mail today .
Hoods are extremely useful in falconry because they "shut off" the bird's primary sense, sight, and calm them in stressful circumstances.
Here are a few pics:


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Thanks for posting this interesting info. What a stunning animal! How much does Caprica weigh?


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

She's a beautiful animal. I wish it was a bit easier to get into falconry but I guess I understand. In a way its good only the best can take care of these special birds. It defiantly takes a drive to go though all that. I comend you. Maybe when I get older and have the time I'll look into it.

I found this video online the other day and thought it was cute.


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## redtailgal (Mar 29, 2011)

lol, I love the way a hood looks on a bird.....it always gives me a giggle.

That is a nice hood........who made it?


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

redtailgal said:


> lol, I love the way a hood looks on a bird.....it always gives me a giggle.
> 
> That is a nice hood........who made it?


Thanks .
Bryant Tarr in WI made it.


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

nancy d said:


> Thanks for posting this interesting info. What a stunning animal! How much does Caprica weigh?


I'm glad you guys are enjoying it .
Caprica weighs between 900-1,000 grams, depending on whether she is at moulting weight (higher) or hunting weight (lower). That's about 2 lbs.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Interesting. I didn't realize that they are only about 2 lbs. They look heavier than that.


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

ksalvagno said:


> Interesting. I didn't realize that they are only about 2 lbs. They look heavier than that.


LOL, they're mostly feathers .


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