"The taking of wild quarry in its natural environment with a trained bird of prey"

FALCONRY;

Goshawk; © Frank Etchells

Gyr; © Frank Etchells

Saker; © Frank Etchells

Redtail Hawk, female © Frank Etchells

Harris Hawk, male - Gilberts father, © Frank Etchells

Peregrine Tiercel © Jim Blake

FALCONRY in the UK has been traced back to around 860AD, the time of King Ethelbert. From then to the middle of the 17th century it was participated in by all, from the Monarch down to the Page, including women. During the reigns of several monarchs very stringent laws were passed to protect the various hawks used. At this time the different species were allotted to the different ranks or order of peoples position in society - as listed in some of the Falconry pages on the internet so I wont repeat them here. I personally feel that the Yeoman came off best with a Goshawk or “Cuisinier” in French - the cooks bird - as it was capable of providing ample food of various species for the pot - this is many years before Modern Day falconers had access to such species as the Harris Hawk [Parabuteo unicinctus] and the Redtail Hawk [Buteo jamaicensis]... both American species. The Bayeux Tapestry shows King Harold approaching the Duke of Normandy with a falcon on his fist - a time when wars were conducted in a more gentlemanly manner? - and not as many films of today show; with a Harris Hawk!

FALCONRY is rich in its own terminology. As a start point, Falconers use the word “hawk” when talking about falcons and hawks in general terms. Only when talking about specific species do they use certain names for them. An example would be “Falcon” to denote a female Peregrine or “Tiercel” for a male Peregrine; "He/she flies a Falcon at grouse" or "He/she flies a Tiercel at partridge" - there are quite a number of women that are Falconers... not "Falconresses"!... Merlin for a female merlin and Jack for a male. A Spar denotes a female sparrowhawk and "Musket" is a male sparrowhawk... as well as a name given to an old gun. A number of words with their origins in falconry are in general use in society today. One of the funniest I think is the word “cadge”. A cadge is a wooden frame with legs, carried by some one when hunting with a number of falcons. Those not being flown are fastened to this frame, or perch, by their leashes. In the middle ages the person carrying this was not paid but at the end of  a days hunting would hold out his hand for tips. Hence we give that phrase of ‘on the cadge’ or name of ‘cadger’ to any one who keeps coming to borrow or scrounge something from us.

FALCONRY is something like 4000 years old. No one can really say where it has its origins but there is a bas relief, found in Korsabad, of a falconer which is dated around 3000 years. Many people believe it started in Persia and progressed west. The practice of Falconry has changed very little since that time. Some modern day equipment has found its way into the sport, i.e. telemetry, weighing scales and we now breed our own hawks for use in Falconry. We are no longer able to take from the wild in the UK, as we used to under license, for Falconry purposes... all birds of prey and most other species are protected under law. The close seasons for Game species apply as much to falconers as to those shooting them and a game Licence is required - as is permission of land owners. A "Quarry Licence" is required for those that wish to follow the "Traditional Sport" of hawking Larks with Merlins or Blackbirds etc., with Sparrowhawks... anyone hawking these species, as well as others on the quarry licence list of species, without the required licence and permissions, risk bringing Falconry in the UK into disrepute and to the possible banning of a Noble and Honourable Sport. The word “Falconry” means “The hunting of wild quarry in its natural state [environment] with a trained bird of prey”.

What is seen at country shows and Falconry Centres is not Falconry "proper" but a part of the training methods used to get the hawks fit for hunting. Although these things are explained at Falconry Centres and the country shows where displays are seen, it appears so easy to do that some people do just go and get a bird of prey and then find it is not so easy - at the detriment to the BOP!

To get started in Falconry is not difficult. Buying a hawk is as easy as buying a dog - the initial cost would be in the region of £1500 to £2000. That includes expensive equipment like telemetry as well as the hawk, somewhere to house it properly and other equipment such as a glove, scales and the hawks furniture - hood, bells etc. Going on a course will show those contemplating Falconry how to care for the hawk, what hawks are available, the food required, laws governing the keeping of them and the quarry to be hawked, and give them a better understanding of the cost in their case. There are many "Centres" and individuals that offer courses but you are "advised" to be wary and research well before deciding - if you do - to take a course offered by some establishments. Which ever course taken, or whoever people take a course with - NO course will make them [YOU] a FALCONER. It will however give an insight into the basic training methods, the commitment expected and build up the confidence required to be able to train a hawk - and should also give some indication of the health aspects of a bird of prey!

The training of a bird of prey is not that difficult really. What is the difficult bit though for a great deal of people is the TIME needed to train and fly (HAWK/hunt) with one. You need something like two hours a day in the first six weeks to cover the basic manning (taming) and training and entering to quarry. Then as much daylight time as possible to go hunting with it on a regular basis. Remember that Falconry [Hawking] is practiced during the autumn and winter time - inclement weather, shorter daylight time etc. There is also the cost of housing the hawk properly as well as the equipment [furniture] and the food requirements, and storage of, to take into account - not every ones' family members take to the storage of dead day old chicks or rabbits etc., in the family freezer or fridge! Not everyone is able or willing to take on this responsibility once they realise what it involves - better to realise before getting a hawk. You can always participate with others and be a spectator or play an active role of ferret handler or beater etc., the BFC [British Falconers' Club] have a "Supporters" membership category as possibly do other clubs.

The initial "basic" training of Falcon and Hawk species are fairly identical. There comes a point early on where the training methods change for the falcon breeds from the true hawks and buzzard types but remain unchanged after thousands of years. Were Hawks are trained to fly after quarry [rabbits, pheasants etc.] from the fist or out of a tree, Falcons are trained to either fly direct from the fist at rooks, gulls etc., [for which some gull species require a quarry licence - rooks, crows require a General Licence thanks to the EU!] many falcons are used as "Game Hawks" and trained to wait on at a height above pointing dogs on moors etc. That does not mean that all birds of prey are the same. They each have their own personality, likes and dislikes, just like people. You adapt the training to suit the hawk you have at the time. Some are quick at learning, some are not.

Hunting with hawks is the main reason to have them. They are not pets and cannot be made into pets. Their purpose in life is to hunt other creatures for food. The hawks purpose may be to hunt but the quarry’s main purpose is to avoid capture and survive. In time you come to realise it is the quality of the flight and not the amount caught that is important. I think the majority of the public find Falconry an acceptable means of hunting because it is a “Natural” occurrence, it is what happens in Nature and is on a one to one basis - one hawk, one prey species. Once the flush has been made the falconer is just a spectator and has no control over the outcome of the flight. One kill in four or five flights is a good days hawking.

All field sports are under threat these days - as are a growing number of our individual rights to be able to do what we want. I would hope that Falconry is seen as the most natural way to hunt but then it is not carried out by a large number of people. Admittedly there are a lot of people who support it or find it acceptable but it is a minority pastime. It does not lend itself to mass participation or even spectatorship for what I hope are obvious reasons. For those same reasons I do not see it as a viable alternative to shooting. In Falconry you do not get the mass “harvesting” of pheasants as you do on an arranged days shooting. This so called “growing public pressure” I see as propaganda that makes a good controversial *News* item for the press. I feel the “majority” of the public don’t really care either way if the fox is hunted with hounds, an angler catches a fish, a pheasant is shot or someone catches a rabbit with a hawk... or with ferrets and nets. It’s the other “minority” groups that do object to these things that claim of a “growing public pressure”.

"FALCONRY" already is accessible to many and all although in a large number of instances it is becoming more of a *Hawk-keeping* or "Raptor Keeping" hobby rather than true Falconry - an exotic type "Pet". The general public should be able to accept Falconry so they understand it, find it acceptable and support it - as the majority of their ancestors did.

One major change I would hope to see in the future would be an acceptance that Falconers can take a hawk from the wild for Falconry purposes. That the *domestic* breeding of hawks for Falconry declines and therefore the number of hawks kept by NON-falconers declines also. The UK has a larger wild population of birds of prey now than at any other time in the last 100 years or more. Birds of Prey, especially Goshawks, breed far better in the wild than domestically. A large number, 70% to 80%, of young hawks born in the wild die in their first year and a licensed take of these hawks for Falconry would increase the survival rate of some species. Flown and hunted with for three years, these hawks could be released back to the wild as adults to breed and another licence could be granted for another three year period.  I realise this is a controversial aspect and not likely to happen but if thought about it is the most logical step to take to preserve our birds of prey and Falconry.

SO... YOU'RE STILL INTERESTED AND WANT TO KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN... Some advice if you wish to take it...

Redtail "Dax", © Chris

Dax; Redtail © Chris

Dax; Redtail © Chris

Pointer, © Falconquester, Colin Pass

Russell, Brittany. © Mark & Andrea

© Mark, Andrea, Russell & Harris Hawks

Gilbert; Male Harris Hawk © Frank Etchells

Cadge of Falcons; © Jim Blake

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