Falconry

Falconry — the art of hunting with trained birds of prey — is believed to have originated prior to 2000 B.C. in the Middle and Far East. The first records of falconry are found in Egypt and China.

Falconry first came to Europe around 300 B.C. and became popular after the Crusades. Many soldiers developed a love of falconry when they came in contact with Arab falconers during the Crusades. When the soldiers returned to Europe, they brought birds and the knowledge needed to fly them.

Falcons have long been the most desirable of birds to use because their speed, agility and power made them one of nature's supreme hunters. They were also very docile in captivity and easy to train. In Europe, royalty used the peregrine Falcon. Lesser noblemen used other birds such as the Kestrel, a small falcon the size of a blue jay.

Having your own bird was seen as a status symbol. Falconry was a particularly expensive hobby to maintain, and because of this became most popular amongst the nobility and kings of England.

The kings generally sought out the best birds so they could have the best kills. Over time, their quest for the best birds led to the introduction of the Laws of Ownership. These laws mandated which species of bird could be held by which rank of society, and made it illegal to hunt with a bird that had been assigned to a higher rank.

The men who trained the falcons — the falconers — were well respected and enjoyed special privileges and rewards if especially if a heron, bittern or crane was caught. These birds were considered the best kills.

Falconry flourished throughout the Middle Ages, but lost its popularity in the 17th century when other forms of hunting, such as the shotgun, were introduced. The introduction of the shotgun made it much easier and less expensive to hunt with a gun than with a bird.

By the 1700s, game keepers actively shot falcons to keep them from taking the game birds raised for the royalty to hunt. Eventually though, the art became more accessible again, and numbers of people practicing falconry grew, especially in the United States where the Red-Tailed hawk became popular. These haws were easy to handle and had the ability to look after themselves when lost.

Falcons have been classified into three categories concerning hunting – short-winged, long-winged and broad-winged. Short-winged birds are generally all hawks. They are maneuverable, quick and adept at flying over short distances. Long-winged birds are falcons. Although slower over short distances, falcons are quicker once they build up some momentum. They also have more stamina than the short winged variety. Broad-winged birds such as eagles or buzzards soar for hours high in the sky. Because they experience problems when flying close to the ground, they generally wait for slow or weak prey to appear before diving on it. People who hunt with birds keep these facts in mind, and adapt each hunt to suit their own particular situation.

Falconry continues to be a popular sport today. The peregrine is still the preferred bird. Some falconers use their expertise in caring for these birds to raise the young falcons released in reintroduction projects.