Birds of prey, how do I own one?

Question

2007 is a year for falconry I hav decided, so I want to get myself a massive hawk or something and train it to fly around and work with dogs for hunting and do all that kind of medevial malarky!
So where do I get a hawk from, do I need a licence, what kind of enclosure do they need and how do I train them??
I am actually quite serious and interested in this so help me out!
Cheers

okay Maybe I didnt make myself clear- so CHILL OUT all you nuts that think Im not being serious and that I am well into hunting- I am not.
I am asking the question on this bloomin thing to get an Idea of what is involved, and am genuinly interested- yes It may need dedication thats all well and good, can no one use this programme without being taken to the dogs?

Answer 1

You should go on a course. Check the link below. It is a BIG responsibility and not one you can just do because it may be 'fashionable' to have one at the moment.....it is not fair on the bird or you for that matter as if your heart isn't really in it then you will end up regretting starting it and the bird will end up either neglected or untrained and a danger. The second link says you don't really need a licence. All your other questions are on these links....enjoy!

Answer 2

To be honest, I believe it is against the law in most states to have them. Some are endangered, at least I think so. Falconry is a learned hobby. These birds require a very experience bird handled. Birds and dogs don't work together. Birds of prey kill and eat some dogs and anything else they can find. I have them fly over head every day (trying to get my chickens). I have had one fly down and land and hang out with my roosters for an hour once. My boys are pretty big lol.. It could not just carry any of them off. But he could have tried. You maybe able to find more information about this hobby and the birds in hunting magazines. After rereading my answer, I stopped and did a search on yahoo. I found www.mikesfalconry.com . I believe this will get you started. Good luck.

Answer 3

If you have to ask this question you don't have enough experience to keep a bird of prey never mind train it. Look on Google or the Yellow Pages for a Falconry Centre and go there , watch and learn and if you decide you want to go forward join the club and learn lots. They take a lot of time , all year round ,even in the darkest snowy day , they must be fed when you are in Ibiza partying , vets bills , costs of meat , mice which can be home grown if you have the stomach to kill and freeze them. Buy lots of books and read as much as possible

Answer 4

If you are in the UK, I know you need a license to keep a bird of prey, this includes owls.
Perhaps a visit to a falconry centre should be your first port of call, and experiencing it there firstly. They may know where you can learn to fly a falcon, and possibly run courses. I wouldn't get one until you know how to care for it correctly. Also, learning how to fly them and care for them will help you decide if you really want one, cos buying one on a whim is not good, and if you decided that you didn't want it after all, it might be difficult to find a new home for it.

Answer 5

First you need a heavy horse with some proper armour and a small army of serfs to work the land for you.

Seriously though;

You are right that it is a medieval practice. Falconry is a dying hunting practice, as is hunting in all its forms. Our natural wilderness areas and free wilderness creatures are dying off because of poisons in their environment and steady encroachment of people into pristine areas. Now you want to go out and attack birds for pleasure? Wake up. Go play a video game and/or invent a virtual falconry experience. It is far less painful for all concerned.

Cheers? Hardly!

Answer 6

First of all, it depends on what state you live in. In most states, as far as I know--such as Oregon, where I live, it is illegal to have any kind of bird of prey. So your first step is to check with your city council and animal control to see if this is acceptable where you are. Next, if you are near a bird sanctuary or a zoo where they house birds of prey you may be able to start there by volunteering to work with the hawks, owls, eagles, etc. to see if this is what you REALLY want to do. These are NOT nice birds. If you have small dogs or cats, and you bring one of these type of birds home, chances are--the thing is going to kill & eat your pet! Frankly, I do NOT recommend this as a great hobby. I'd choose another type of animal. If you prefer birds, then go for parrots--they can be a LOT of fun & enjoyment. Good luck

Answer 7

if ur in the uk it depends on the bird u want. since its ur first bird id suggest a harris hawk. they're relatively cheap, no major legal issues (i think they're one of the kinds of birds that u just have to register nd then u cn keep it) nd they're very trainable. they dont need a particularly big aviary because they naturally dont move or fly much but its kinder to have something bout 7ft tall, nd 6ft deep nd 6ft wide. they can be kept on a perch in the day nd in a hawk box at night if u dont have space for a decent aviary. just watch out for cats nd thieves if u do that one. beware though, birds of prey live for a long time, i think u cn expect something like 20 yrs out of a harris hawk.

u will need to get a falconers glove nd have jesses put on the bird or ull lose it in 5 seconds. start training it on a long training rope so it doesnt escape. ull need some scales to check if its at flying weight, too heavy nd itll not be hungry enough to want to do stuff for u nd will fly away, too light nd it wont have enough energy to fly. a harris hawk cn easily be trained to catch rabbit sized animals but be careful not to catch hare (thats illegal) or cats (not popular with the neighbours). u also need to find the nearest place that sells day old chicks nd learn how to yolk the chicks (this is a most unpleasant job, u have to cut into the chick's belly nd scrape the yolk out).

Answer 8

If you live in the United States you have to have a federal license to keep any bird of prey. If you are serious about this I would suggest finding a local falconery group. They can advise you on what exactly is involved. Its always better to have a live mentor rather than try to do this through books. Its a very interesting hobby.

Answer 9

at the start, I thoroughly comprehend how you sense, yet i might advise waiting for a whilst, my dad owned a harris hawk a whilst in the past, and that they seem to be a large dedication! they don't stay in cages like different birds, they're frequently tied to a large perch and so could be permit loose to fly exterior quite lots prevalent. given which you will nevertheless be in college, it could be getting darkish once you come back in wintry climate, and so flying it is going to grow to be very puzzling, besides as setting up it around homework and the different commitments (undergo in techniques at 13 you would be beginning gcse artwork in the subsequent couple of years too.) you apart from mght can not merely pass away nutrition out for them, you may bodily feed them each and daily (frequently frozen chicks!) they're frequently saved in an exterior room (like a large, take care of shed) meaning on the time whilst your sitting interior, you may could spend exterior jointly with your chook, in comparison to different breeds, except your mothers and dads might permit you hold it indoors, which could be not likely because of the mess and noise the make without a cage. yet another significant certainty to think approximately is the place you reside. we live to tell the story farmland with relatively some open area and, at this factor, had no chickens. Harris hawks could relatively kill different birds, and so in case you lived close to a close-by with pigeons and so on. It does not be secure. My advice could be to be sure breeds of parrots. I easily have a attractive green cheek conure who i'm keen on! he's intense-high quality and loves cuddles, is larger and greater playful than my budgies and is a superb puppy! you additionally can look into greater suitable parrots like greys or amazons or perhaps macows, yet undergo in techniques, the bigger the chook the greater suitable the dedication, and so it is going to require lots greater artwork to safeguard a macow/amazon than it would a conure/quaker. stable success! And your surprising, birds truly are remarkable pets!

Answer 10

lyk erm i don't think it's illegal 2 hav big birds lyk them - soz

and plus if u did get one it would b a lot of ard work cleaning out the cage taking it out for a flight everyday. feeding it dead mice or/and live one's aswell as trainning it - that WILL take u a very long while!! but i guess if u have the time, money, dedication, aswell as space then sure go get your self a big dicky bird!