Falconry

For the unblack metal album, see Falconry (album).

Flying a Saker Falcon

A Goshawk

Falconry is "the taking of wild quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of a trained raptor".. There are two traditional terms used to describe a person involved in falconry: a falconer flies a falcon; an austringer (german origin) flies a hawk (Accipiter and some buteos and similar) or an eagle (Aquila or similar). In modern falconry the Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) and the Harris hawk are often used. The words "hawking" and "hawker" have become used so much to mean petty traveling traders, that the terms "falconer" and "falconry" now apply to all use of trained birds of prey to catch game. In early English falconry literature, the word "falcon" referred to a female falcon only, while the word "hawk" or "hawke" referred to a female hawk only. A male hawk or falcon was referred to as a "tiercel" as it was roughly one third less than the female in size. Many contemporary practitioners still use these words in their original meaning. The practice of hunting a trained falconry bird is also called "hawking" or "gamehawking".

History

Detail of two falconers. Illustration from De arte venandi cum avibus, 1240s

Three panels depicting Hawking in England from various time periods, as reprinted in Joseph Strutt's 1801 book, The sports and pastimes of the people of England from the earliest period. The middle panel is from a Saxon manuscript dated to the late 900s - early 1000s, as of 1801 held in the "Cotton Library", showing a Saxon nobleman and his falconer. The top and bottom panels are drawings from a manuscript held, as of 1801, in the "Royal Library" dating from early 14th century showing parties of both sexes hawking by the waterside; the falconer is frightening the fowl to make them rise and the hawk is in the act of seizing upon one of them.

Evidence suggests the art of falconry may have begun in Mesopotamia, or in the China and Mongolia, with the earliest accounts dating to approximately 2000 BC. However, there is some disagreement about whether such early accounts actually document the practice of falconry (from The Epic of Gilgamesh or misinterpret depictions of birds of prey and humans that may in fact represent other cultural significance. Falconry was probably introduced to Europe around AD 400, when the Huns and Alans invaded from the East. Frederick II of Hohenstaufen (1194-1250) is generally acknowledged as the most significant wellspring of traditional falconry knowledge. He is believed to have obtained firsthand knowledge of Arabic falconry during wars in the region (between June 1228–June 1229). He obtained a copy of Moamyn's manual on falconry and had it translated into Latin by Theodore of Antioch. Frederick II himself made corrections to the translation in 1241 resulting in De Scientia Venandi per Aves. King Frederick II is most recognized for his falconry treatise, De arte venandi cum avibus ("The Art of Hunting with Birds"). Written himself toward the end of his life, it is considered the first comprehensive book of falconry, but also notable in its contributions to ornithology and zoology. De arte venandi cum avibus is considered to be one of the earliest and most significant challenges to Aristotle's often flawed views of nature. King Frederick II incorporated a diversity of scholarly traditions and emphasized an observational approach to understanding nature as it is.

Historically, falconry was a popular sport and status symbol among the nobles of medieval Europe, the Middle East, and East Asia; in Japan the sport is called takagari. Eggs and chicks of birds of prey were quite rare and expensive, and because the process of raising and training a hawk or falcon requires a great deal of time, money, and space, it was largely restricted to the noble classes. In Japan, there were even strict restrictions on who could hunt which sorts of animals and where, based on rank within the samurai class. In art and in other aspects of culture such as literature, falconry remained a status symbol long after it was no longer popularly practiced. Eagles and hawks displayed on the wall could represent the noble himself, metaphorically, as noble and fierce. Woodblock prints or paintings of falcons or falconry scenes could be bought by wealthy commoners, and displayed as the next best thing to partaking in the sport, again representing a certain degree of nobility.

In the U.K. falconry probably reached its zenith in the 17th century, but soon faded, particularly in the late 18th and 19th centuries, as firearms became the tool of choice for hunting (this likely took place throughout Europe and Asia in differing degrees). Falconry in the U.K. had a resurgence in the late 19th, early 20th century during which time a number of falconry books were published. This revival led to the introduction of falconry in North America in the early 1900's. Col R. Luff Meredith is recognized as the father if North American falconry.

Modern veterinary practices and the advent of radio telemetry transformed the practice of falconry.

Timeline

• 722-705 BC - An Assyrian bas-relief found in the ruins at Khorsabad during the excavation of the palace of Sargon II (Sargon II) has been claimed to depict falconry. In fact, it depicts an archer shooting at raptors and an attendant capturing a raptor. A. H. Layard's statement in his 1853 book Discoveries in the Ruins of Nineveh and Babylon is "A falconer bearing a hawk on his wrist appeared to be represented in a bas-relief which I saw on my last visit to those ruins."
• 680 BC - Chinese records describe falconry. E. W. Jameson suggests that evidence of falconry in Japan surfaces.
• 355 AD - Nihon-shoki, a largely mythical narrative, records hawking first arriving in Japan from Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea during the reign of the 16th emperor Nintoku .
• 2nd-4th century - the Germanic tribe of the Goths learned falconry from the Sarmatians .
• 5th century - the son of Avitus, Roman Emperor 455-456, from the Celtic tribe of the Arverni who fought at the Battle of Châlons with the Goths against the Huns introduced falconry in Rome.
• 500 - a Roman floor mosaic depicts a falconer and his hawk hunting ducks—
• 8th and 9th century and continuing today - Falconry flourished in the Middle East.
• 818 - The Japanese Emperor Saga ordered someone to edit a falconry text named "Shinshuu Youkyou".
• 875 - Western Europe and Saxon England practiced falconry widely.
• 991 - The Battle of Maldon. A poem describing it says that before the battle, the Anglo-Saxons' leader Byrhtnoth "let his loved hawk fly from his hand to the wood".
• c.1240s - The treatise of an Arab Falconer, Moamyn, was translated into Latin by Master Theodore of Antioch, at the court of Frederick II, it was called De Scientia Venandi per Aves and much copied.
• 1250 - Frederick II wrote in the last years of his life a treatise on "The Art of Hunting with Birds": De arte venandi cum avibus.
• 1390s - In his Libro de la caza de las aves, Castilian poet and chronicler Pero López de Ayala attempts to compile all the available correct knowledge concerning falconry.
• 1486 -See the Boke of Saint Albans
• early 16th century - Japanese warlord Asakura Norikage (1476–1555) succeeded in captive breeding of goshawks.
• 17th century - Dutch records of falconry; the Dutch town of Valkenswaard was almost entirely dependent on falconry for its economy.
• 1660s - Tsar Alexis of Russia writes a treatise which celebrates aesthetic pleasures derived from falconry.
• 1801 - James Strutt of England writes, "the ladies not only accompanied the gentlemen in pursuit of the diversion [falconry], but often practiced it by themselves; and even excelled the men in knowledge and exercise of the art."
• 1934 - The first US falconry club, The Peregrine Club, is formed; it died out during World War II
• 1941 - Falconer's Club of America formed
• 1961 - Falconer's Club of America defunct
• 1961 - NAFA formed
• 1970 - Peregrine Falcon listed as an Endangered Species in the U.S.
• 1970 - The Peregrine Fund is founded, mostly by falconers, to conserve raptors, and focusing on Peregrines.
• 1972 - DDT banned in the U.S. (EPA press release - December 31, 1972) but continues to be used in Mexico and other nations.
• 1980's - Radio telemetry gains wide use amongst falconers.
• 1986-The Archives of Falconry (originally The Archives of American Falconry) was founded to preserve all historical falconry materials.
• 1999 - Peregrine falcon removed from the Endangered Species list in the United States, due to reports that at least 1,650 peregrine breeding pairs existed in the U.S. and Canada at that time. (64 Federal Register 46541-558, August 25, 1999)
• 2003 - A population study by the USFWS shows peregrine falcon numbers climbing ever more rapidly, with well over 3000 pairs in North America
• 2006 - A population study by the USFWS shows peregrine falcon numbers still climbing. (Federal Register circa September 2006)
• 2008 - USFWS rewrites falconry regulations virtually eliminating federal involvement. {Federal Register: October 8, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 196)}

Birds used in Contemporary Falconry

There are several categories of raptor that could possibly be used in falconry. They are also classed by falconers as:

• Broadwings: Golden Eagles, Buzzards, Harris hawk.
• Longwings: Peregrine Falcons, Lanner Falcon, Gyrfalcon.
• Shortwings: Accipiters (Goshawks).

Harris's Hawk (Parabuteo)

Falconer with Harris' Hawk

Parabuteo unicinctus is the sole representative of this genus worldwide. Arguably the best rabbit or hare raptor available anywhere, the Harris' Hawk is also adept at catching birds. Often captive-bred, the Harris' Hawk is remarkably popular because of its temperament and ability. The Harris Hawk is found the wild living in groups or packs and hunts cooperatively, with a social heirarchy similar to wolves. This highly social behavior is not observed in any other bird of prey species and is very adaptable to falconry. This genus is native to the Americas from southern Texas and Arizona to northern South America.

Buteos or Soaring Hawks (referred to as Buzzards in the U.K.)

The genus Buteo, known as "hawks" in North America and not to be confused with vultures, has worldwide distribution but is particularly well represented in North America. The Red-tailed Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, and rarely, the Red-shouldered Hawk are all examples of species from this genus that are used in falconry today. The Red-tailed Hawk is hardy and versatile, taking rabbits, hares, and squirrels; given the right conditions it can catch geese, ducks, pheasants, and even wild turkeys. The Red-Tailed Hawk is also considered a good bird for beginners. The Eurasian or Common Buzzard is also used, although this species requires more perseverance if rabbits are to be hunted.

True hawks (Accipiter)

The genus Accipiter is also found worldwide. The hawk expert Mike McDermott once said, "The attack of the accipiters is extremely swift, rapid and violent in every way." They are well known in falconry use both in Europe and North America. The Northern Goshawk has been trained for falconry for hundreds of years, taking a variety of birds and mammals. Other popular Accipiters used in falconry inlcude: the Cooper's Hawk and Sharp-shinned Hawk in North America and the European Sparrowhawk in Europe and Eurasia.

A Peregrine falcon with its lure

Falcons (Falco)

The genus Falco is found worldwide and has occupied a central niche in ancient and modern falconry. Most falcon species used in falconry are specialized predators, most adapted to capturing bird prey such as the Peregrine Falcon and Merlin. A notable exception is the use of desert falcons such the Saker Falcon in ancient and modern Middle Eastern and Asian falconry, where hares were and are commonly taken. In North America, the Prairie Falcon and the Gyrfalcon are capable of capturing small mammal prey (as well as gamebirds and waterfowl) in falconry, but this is rarely practiced.

Booted eagles (Aquila)

Eagle huntsman in Karakol, Kyrgyzstan

The Aquila (all have "booted" or feathered tarsus) genus has a nearly worldwide distribution. The more powerful types are used in falconry; for example Golden Eagles have reportedly been used to hunt wolves in Kazakhstan, and are now used by the Kazakh eagle hunters to hunt foxes and other large prey, as they are in neighbouring Kyrgyzstan. Most are primarily ground-oriented but will occasionally take birds. Eagles are not used as widely in falconry as other birds of prey, due to the lack of versatility in the larger species (they primarily hunt over large open ground), the greater potential danger to other people if hunted in a widely populated area, and the difficulty of training and managing an eagle.

Owls (Strigidae)

Owls are not closely related to hawks or falcons. There is little written in classic falconry that discusses the use of Owls in falconry. However, there are at least two species that have successfully been used, the Eurasian Eagle Owl and the Great Horned Owl. Successful training of owls is much different from the training of hawks and falcons, as they are hearing- rather than sight-oriented (owls can only see black and white, and are long-sighted). This often leads falconers to believe that they are less intelligent, as they are distracted easily by new or unnatural noises and they don't respond as readily to food cues. However, if trained successfully, owls show intelligence on the same level as that of hawks and falcons.

Osprey (Pandion)

The Osprey is a medium-large bird with a worldwide distribution that specializes in eating fish. Generally speaking, it does not lend itself to falconry. However, the possibility of using a falcon to catch fish remains intriguing. (Some references to "ospreys" in old records mean a mechanical fish-catching device and not the bird.)

Sea eagles (Haliaëtus)

Most species of genus Haliaëtus catch and eat fish, some almost exclusively. However, in countries where they are not protected, some have been effectively used in hunting for ground quarry.

Species for Beginners

In North America only the American Kestrel and the Red-tailed Hawk are permitted for a beginner falconer during their apprenticeship. Opinions differ on the utility of the Krestrel for beginners due to the inherant fagility of the small falcon. In the U.K. and elsewhere, beginner falconers are often permitted to acquire a larger variety of birds, however the Harris Hawk and Red-tailed Hawk remain the most commonly used. The Red-tailed Hawk is held in high regard in the U.K. due to the ease of breeding them in captivity, their inherant hardiness, and their capability hunting rabbits and hares commonly found throughout the countryside in the U.K. Many falconers in the U.K. and North America switch to Accipiters or large falcons following their introduction with easier birds.

The Practice of Falconry; Husbandry, Training, & Equipment

See hack (falconry) and Falconry (training)

Falconry around the world

Falconry is currently practiced in many countries around the world. The falconer's traditional choice of bird is the Northern Goshawk and Peregrine Falcon. In contemporary falconry in both North American and the U.K. they remain popular, although the Harris Hawk and Red-tailed Hawk are likely more widely used. The Northern Goshawk and the Golden Eagle are more commonly used in Eastern Europe than elsewhere. In the Middle East, the Saker Falcon is the most traditional species flown against the Houbara Bustard, Sandgrouse, Stone-curlew, Hares, and other birds. Peregrines and other captively bred imported falcons are also commonplace. Falconry remains an important part of the Arab heritage and culture. The UAE reportedly spends over 27 million dollars annually towards the protection and conservation of wild falcons, and has set up several state-of-the-art falcon hospitals in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. There are two breeding farms in the Emirates, as well as those in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Every year, falcon beauty contests and demonstrations take place at the ADIHEX exhibition in Abu Dhabi.

A Saker Falcon used for falconry in Qatar

A Hobby

Sparrowhawks were formerly used to take a range of small birds, but are really too delicate for serious falconry and have fallen out of favour now that American species are available.

In North America and the U.K., falcons usually fly only after birds. Large falcons are typically trained to fly in the "waiting-on" style, where the falcon climbs and cirlces above the falconer and/or dog and the quarry is flushed when the falcons is in the desired commanding position. Classical game hawking in the U.K. saw a brace of peregrine falcons flown against the red grouse, or merlins in "ringing" flights after skylarks. Rooks and crows are classic game for the larger falcons, and the magpie, making up in cunning what it lacks in flying ability, is another common target. Short-wings can be flown in both open and wooded country against a variety of bird and small mammal prey. Most hunting with large falcons requires large open tracts where the falcon is afforded opportunity to stike or sieze it's quarry before it reaches cover. Most of Europe practices similar styles of falconry, but with differing degrees of regulation.

Medieval falconers often rode horses but this is now rare with the exception of contemporary Kazakh and Mongolian falconry. In Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia, the golden eagle is traditionally flown (often from horseback), hunting game as large as foxes and wolves.

South Korea allows a tiny number of people (a national total of 4 in 2005) to own raptors and practice falconry as a cultural asset.

In Japan, the Northern Goshawk has been used for centuries. Japan continues to honor its strong historical links with falconry (Takagari) while adopting some modern techniques and technologies.

In Australia, although falconry is not specifically illegal, it is illegal to keep any type of bird of prey in captivity without the appropriate permits. The only exemption is when the birds are kept for purposes of rehabilitation (for which a licence must still be held), and in such circumstances it may be possible for a competent falconer to teach a bird to hunt and kill wild quarry, as part of its regime of rehabilitation to good health and a fit state to be released into the wild.

South Africa has about 180 active falconers.

Tangent aspects, such as bird abatement and raptor rehabilitation also employ falconry techniques to accomplish their goals, but are not falconry in the proper sense of the word.

Clubs and organisations

• The North American Falconers' Association (NAFA), founded in 1961, is the premier club for falconry in the US, Canada and Mexico, and has members worldwide. See North American Falconers Association.

• The International Association for Falconry and Conservation of Birds of Prey, founded in 1968, is currently representing 69 falconry clubs and conservation organisations from 48 countries worldwide totalling 28,500 members.

• The North American Falconers Exchange- Falconry Forum. NAFEX.net is the premier falconry forum in North America. It is the only forum dedicated primarily to North American falconers. NAFEX's goal is to ensure the spread of information in a proactive manner, all the while bringing falconers together.

NAFA is the primary club in the United States and has a membership from around the world. NAFEX is the primary falconry forum for the United States and North America.

Most USA states have their own falconry clubs. Although these clubs are primarily social, they also serve to represent falconers within the state in regards to that state's wildlife regulations.

Captive Breeding and Falconry

The successful and now widespread captive breeding of birds of prey came about as a response to dwindling wild populations due to persistent toxins such as PCBs and DDT, systematic persecution as indesirable predators, habitat loss, and the resulting limited availability of popular species for falconry, particularly the peregrine falcon. The first known raptors to breed in captivity belonged to a German falconer named Renz Waller. In 1942-1943 he produced two young peregrines in Düsseldorf in Germany.

The first successfull captive breeding of peregrines in North America occurred in the early 1970's by The Peregrine Fund, Professor and falconer Heinz Meng, and other private falconer/breeders such as Dave Jamiesson and Les Boyd who bred the first peregrines by means of artificial insemination. In Great Britain, falconer Phillip Glasier of the Falconry Centre in Newent, Gloucestershire, was successful in obtaining young from more than 20 species of captive raptors. A cooperative effort began between various government agencies, non-government organizations, and falconers to supplement various wild raptor populations in peril. This effort was strongest in North America where significant private donations along with funding allocations through the Endangered Species Act of 1972 provided the means to continue the release of captive bred Peregrines, Golden Eagles, Bald Eagles, Aplomado Falcons and others. By the mid-1980s, falconers had become self-sufficient as regards sources of birds to train and fly, in addition to the immensely important conservation benefits conferred by captive breeding.

Artificial insemination techniques developed in North America were instrumental in peregrine recovery efforts and was also used to produce hybrids, such as Gyr/Peregrine or Gyr/Saker. This is usually done to combine the horizontal speed and size of the gyrfalcon with the good dispostion and aerial nature of a peregrine. Such hybrids have become popular among falconers worldwide.

Until recently, nearly all Peregrines used for falconry in the U.S. were captive-bred from the progeny of falcons taken before the U. S. Endangered Species Act was enacted and from those few infusions of wild genes available from Canada and special circumstances. Peregrine Falcons were removed from the United States' endangered species list in 1999 due largely to the effort and knowledge of falconers in colaboration with the Peregrine Fund and state and federal agencies - through a technique called hacking. Finally, after years of close work with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, a limited take of wild Peregrines was allowed in 2004, the first wild Peregrines taken specifically for falconry in over 30 years.

Wild falcon populations are afforded little protection throughout the Middle East and Asia, and many believe that the proliferation of captive bred falcons into the falcon markets of the Arabian Peninsula has provided some benefits to wild populations that were intensively trapped by professional trappers throught Afganistan, Pakistan, India, Russia and adjacent nations.

Hybrid falcons

The species within the genus Falco are closely related and some pairings produce viable offspring. The heavy northern Gyrfalcon and Asiatic Saker being especially closely related, and it is not known whether the Altai Falcon is a subspecies of the Saker or descendants of naturally occurring hybrids. Peregrine and prairie falcons have been observed breeding in the wild and have produced offspring. These pairings are thought to be rare. Some male first generation hybrids may have viable sperm, whereas very few first generation female hybrids lay fertile eggs. Because of these factors, naturally occuring hybridization is thought to be somewhat insignificant to falcon population genetics.

The first hybrid falcons produced in captivity occurred in western Ireland when veteran falconer Ronald Stevens and the Hon. John Morris put a male saker and a female peregrine into the same moulting mews for the spring and early summer, and the two mated and produced offspring.

Captively bred hybrid falcons have been available since the late 1970s, and enjoyed a meteoric rise in popularity in North America and the UK in the 1990s. Hybrids were innitially "created" to combine the horizontal speed and size of the gyrfalcon with the good disposition and aerial ability of the peregrine. Hybrid falcons first gained large popularity throughout the Arabian Peninsula, feeding a demand for particularly large and aggressive female falcons capable and willing to take on the very large Houbara Bustard, the classic falconry quarry in the deserts of the Middle East. These falcons were also very popular with Arab falconers as they tended to withstand a respiratory disease (aspergillosis from the mold strain aspergillus) in stressful desert conditions better than other pure species from the northen hemisphere.

Middle East customers for falconry birds including hybrids tend to reject the males (tiercels), which thus are sold to falconers in Europe and North America, who soon found that these tiercel hybrid falcons are outstanding performers on native quarry.

Some hybrid combinations appear to lend themselves to certain styles of flight, for example

• The gyr/peregrine is well-suited to game-hawking.
• The peregrine/lanner has proved useful in keeping birds off airport runways to prevent birdstrikes: peregrines fly too and lanners not far enough for this job.

Artificial Selection/Domestication

Some believe that no species of raptor have been in captivity long enough to have undergone successful selective breeding for desired traits. Captive breeding of raptors over several generations tends to result, either deliberately, or inevitably as a result of captivity, in selection for certain traits, including:

• Ability to survive in captivity.
• Ability to breed in captivity.
• (In most cases) suitability for interactions with humans for falconry. Birds which demonstrated an unwillingness to hunt with men were most often discarded, rather than being placed in breeding projects.
• With gyrfalcons in areas away from their natural Arctic tundra habitat, better disease resistance.
• With gyrfalcons, feather color [2].

Escaped falconry birds

Falconers' birds are inevitably lost on occasion, though most are found again. Records of species becoming established in Britain after escaping or being released include:

• Escaped Harris hawks reportedly breed in the wild in Britain.
• The return of the Goshawk as a breeding bird to Britain since 1945 is due in large part to falconers' escapes: the earlier British population was wiped out by gamekeepers and egg collectors in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• A pair of European Eagle Owls bred in the wild in Yorkshire for several years, feeding largely or entirely on rabbits. The pair are most likely captive escapees. It is not yet known if this will lead to a population becoming established.
• In 1986, a lost, captive bred female prairie falcon (cross-fostered by an adult peregrine in captivity) mated with a wild male peregrine in Utah. The prairie falcon was trapped and the eggs removed, incubated, hatched and the hybrid offspring were given to falconers. The wild peregrine paired with another peregrine the following year.

Falconry in Hawaii is prohibited largely due to the fears of escaped, non-native birds of prey becoming established on the island chain and aggravating an already rampant problem of invasive species impacts on native widlife and plant communities.

U.S. regulations

In the United States, falconry is legal in all states except Hawaii and the District of Columbia. A falconer must have state and federal licenses to practice the sport. Acquiring a falconry license in the US requires an aspiring falconer to pass a written test, have equipment and facilities inspected, and serve a minimum of two years as an apprentice under a licensed falconer. There are three classes of the falconry license, which is a permit issued jointly by the falconer's state of residence and the federal government. The aforementioned Apprentice license matriculates to a General Class license, which allows the falconer to possess no more than two raptors at a time. After a minimum of 5 years at General level, falconers may apply for a Master Class license, which allows them to keep 3 raptors for falconry.

Within the U.S., a state's regulations may be more, but not less, restrictive than the federal guidelines. Both state and federal regulations (as well as state hunting laws) must be complied with by the falconer. Most states afford falconers an extended hunting season relative to seasons for archery and firearms, however species to be hunted, bag limits, and possession limits remain the same for both. No extended seasons for faclonry exist for the hunting of migratory birds such as waterfowl and doves.

Federal regulation of falconry in North America is enforced under the statutes of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (MBTA), originally designed to address the rampant commercial market hunting of migratory waterbirds during the early 20th century. Birds of prey suffered extreme pursecution from the early 1900's through the 1960's, where thousands of birds where shot at conspicuous migration sites and many state widlife agencies issued bounties for carcasses. Due to widespread pursecution and further impacts to raptor populations from DDT and other toxins, the act was ammended in 1972 to include birds of prey (eagles are also protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1959). Under the MBTA, it is illegal for people to "take" migratory birds, their eggs, feathers or nests. Take is defined in the MBTA to "include by any means or in any manner, any attempt at hunting, pursuing, wounding, killing, possessing or transporting any migratory bird, nest, egg, or part thereof" . Falconers are allowed to trap, and otherwise possess certain birds of prey and their feathers with special permits issued by the Migratory Bird Office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and by state wildlife agencies (issuers of trapping permits).

The Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) restricts the import and export of most native birds species and are listed in the CITES Apendix I, II, & III.

The Wild Bird Conservation Act (WBCA), legislation put into effect circa 1993, regulates importation of any CITES-listed birds into the United States.

Some controversy exists over the issue of falconer's ownership of captively bred birds of prey. Falconry permits are issued by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in a manner that entrusts falconers to "take" (trap) and possess permitted birds and use them only for permitted activites, but does not transfer legal ownership. No legal distinction is made between native wild trapped vs. captive bred birds of the same species. This legal position is designed to disincentivize the commercial exploitation of native wildlife.

Regulations in Great Britain

In sharp contrast to the US, falconry in Great Britain is permitted without a special license. However, a restriction exists of using only captive-bred birds. In the lengthy, record-breaking debates in Westminster during the passage of the 1981 Wildlife & Countryside Bill, efforts were made by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and other lobby groups to have falconry outlawed, but these were successfully resisted. After a centuries-old but informal existence in Britain, the sport of falconry was finally given formal legal status in Great Britain by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which allowed it to continue provided all captive raptors native to the UK were officially ringed and government-registered. DNA-testing was also available to verify birds' origins. Since 1982 the British government's licensing requirements have been overseen by the Chief Wildlife Act Inspector for Great Britain, who is assisted by a panel of unpaid assistant inspectors.

A White Gyr

British falconers are entirely reliant upon captive-bred birds for their sport. The taking of raptors from the wild for falconry, although permitted by law under government licence, has not been allowed in recent decades.

Anyone is permitted to possess legally registered or captive-bred raptors, although falconers are anxious to point out that this is not synonymous with falconry, which specifically entails the hunting of live quarry with a trained bird. A raptor kept merely as a pet or possession, although the law may allow it, is not considered to be a falconer's bird. Birds may be used for breeding or kept after their hunting days are over, but falconers believe it is preferable that young, fit birds are flown at quarry.

Falconry today

Falcons can live into their mid teens, with larger hawks living longer and eagles likely to see out middle-aged owners. Through the captive breeding of rescued birds, the last 30 years have seen a great rebirth of the sport, with a host of innovations; falconry's popularity, through lure flying displays at country houses and game fairs, has probably never been higher in the past 300 years. Ornithologist Tim Gallagher, editor of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Living Bird magazine, documented his experiences with modern falconry in a 2008 book, Falcon Fever.

Making use of the natural relationship between raptors and their prey, today, falconry is used to control pest birds and animals in urban areas, landfills, commercial buildings, and airports. Falconer Dan Frankian of Hawkeye Bird and Animal Control frequently speaks on the subject to news crews while his hawks and falcons are flying over Toronto City Hall, in an effort to control the city's gull and pigeon population.

Falconry Centres or Birds of Prey Centres house these raptors. They are responsible for many aspects of Bird of Prey Conservation (through keeping the birds for education and breeding). Many conduct regular flying demonstrations and educational talks, and are popular with visitors worldwide.

Such centres may also provide Falconry Courses, Hawk Walks, Displays and other experiences with these raptors - see links at bottom of page for details.

Literature and films

• In the ninth novel of the fifth day of Giovanni Boccaccio's The Decameron, a medieval collection of novellas, a falcon is central to the plot: The nobleman Federigo degli Alberighi has wasted his fortune courting his unrequited love until nothing is left but his brave falcon. When his lady come to see him he gives her the falcon to eat. Knowing his case she changes her mind, takes him to husband and makes him rich.
• In Virginia Henley's historical romance books, "The Falcon and the Flower", "The Dragon and the Jewel", "The Marriage Prize", "The Border Hostage" and "Infamous", there are numerous mentions to the art of falconry, as these books are set at dates ranging from the 1150s to the 16th century.
• The children's novel A Kestrel for a Knave was made into the film Kes.
• T.H. White was a falconer, as evidenced in some of his writing, including The Goshawk.
• The main character, Sam Gribley, in the children's novel "My Side of the Mountain" is a falconer. His trained falcon is named Frightful.
• In the book and movie The Falcon and the Snowman about two Americans who sold secrets to the Soviets, one of the two main characters, Christopher Boyce, is a falconer.
• In The Royal Tenenbaums, Richie keeps a falcon named Mordecai on the roof of his home in Manhattan.
• In James Clavell's Shogun, Toranaga, one of the main characters, practices falconry throughout the book, often during or immediately before or after important plot events. His thoughts also reveal analogy between his falconry and his use of other characters towards his ends.
• The 1985 film Ladyhawke involved a medieval warrior who carried a red tail hawk as a pet, but in truth, the hawk was actually his lover who had been cursed by an evil bishop to keep the two apart.
• In The Dark Tower series, the main character, Roland, uses a hawk named David, to win a trial by combat in order to become a Gunslinger.
• "The Falconer" is a recurring sketch on Saturday Night Live, featuring Will Forte as a falconer who constantly finds himself in mortal peril and must rely on his loyal falcon, Donald, to rescue him.
• Gabriel García Márquez's novel Chronicle of a Death Foretold's main character, Santiago Nasar, and his father are falconers.
• Hodgesaargh is a falconer based in Lancre Castle in Terry Pratchetts Discworld book. He is an expert and dedicated falconer who unluckily seems to only keep birds that enjoy attacking him.
• Fantasy author Mercedes Lackey is a falconer and often adds birds of prey to her novels. Among the Tayledras or Hawkbrother race in her Chronicles of Valdemar, everyone bonds with a specially bred raptor called a bondbird which has limited powers of speech mind-to-mind and can scout and hunt for its human bondmate.
• In the video game series "Samurai Shodown", one of the main characters is Nakoruru, a ainu priestess who also fights using falconry, with her hawk, Mamahaha
• 2006 film The Hawk Is Dying stars Paul Giamatti as a timid character fascinated with the art of falconry as the main protagonist in a story set in Gainesville, Florida. Although the film provides understanding of someone's passion for a pastime, it closely resembles T.H. White's The Goshawk in its emphasis on neophyte errors more than a genuine attempt at the craft.
• Crime novelist Andy Straka is a falconer and his Frank Pavlicek private eye series features a former NYPD homicide detective and falconer as protagonist. The books include A Witness Above, A Killing Sky, Cold Quarry (2001, 2002, 2003), and Kitty Hitter (2009).
• In Irish Poet William Butler Yeats's poem, "The Second Coming", Yeats uses the image of, "The falcon cannot hear the falconer" as a metaphor for social disintegration.
• American Poet Robert Duncan's poem, "My Mother Would Be a Falconress"

See also

• Animal training
• Hunting
• Anti-hunting
• Hunting dog
• Takagari
• Falconry (training)
• Parahawking
• Falconer's knot

Further reading

• Modern Apprentice: Site for North Americans interested in falconry by Lydia Ash. (Much information for this entry was due to her research)
• Beatriz E. Candil García, Arjen E.Hartman, Ars Accipitraria: An Essential Dictionary for the Practice of Falconry and hawking"; Yarak Publishing, London, 2007, ISBN 978-0-9555607-0-5 (The excerpt on the language of falconry comes from this book)
• Beatriz E. Candil García, The Red-tailed Hawk: The Great Unknown Yarak London, 2008, ISBN 978-0-9555607-4-3
• F.L. Beebe, H.M. Webster, North American Falconry and Hunting Hawks; 8th edition, 2000, ISBN 0-685-66290-X,

External links

• North American Falconers' Exchange-Falconry Forum
• IAF - International Association for Falconry and Conservation of Birds of Prey
• Falconry in Qatar
• British Falconers' Club
• North American Falconers' Association
• South African Falconry Association
• Czech Falconry Club
• Welsh Hawking Club
• Template:Dmoz
• Falconry Today News service
• Medieval Hawking Whistle East Anglia
• Henfold Lakes Falconry, Surrey, England
• International Falconry Forum
• Italian Falconry Portal