Falconry UK - All
Harris Hawk: One of the Most Popular Birds Used in Falconry, History, Hunting Behavior, Training.
The Harris hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus) has a legacy that stretches back over 2,000 years. Indigenous tribes like the Aztecs revered these raptors for their intelligence and hunting prowess. By the 16th century, Harris hawks were used in falconry during the reign of King Henry VIII. Their cooperative hunting style and adaptability made them ideal for European terrains, and by the late 1800s, they were imported from the southwestern U.S. and Mexico to Europe for pest control and sport hunting.
Today, Harris hawks are flown in falconry across North America, the UK, Spain, and Portugal. Their social nature and trainability have made them the go-to bird for both novice and expert falconers.
📊 Popularity and Breeding Statistics
Harris hawks dominate the falconry scene:
• Over 2,500 Harris hawks are registered in the Baywing Database
• Captive breeding programs have produced thousands of birds since the 1980s
• In North American falconry meets, they account for the majority of game taken
Jennifer and Tom Coulson, pioneers in Harris hawk breeding, began their program in 1981 and have produced nearly a thousand offspring. Their work has helped standardize traits like tameness, trainability, and hunting drive.
🧠 Unique Traits and Hunting Behavior
Unlike solitary raptors, Harris hawks hunt in packs of 2–7. This behavior is rare among birds of prey and allows them to take down larger quarry such as:
• Rabbits
• Ground squirrels
• Rats
• Hares
• Small birds
Their social structure is matriarchal—dominant females lead the hunt, followed by males and juveniles. This hierarchy enhances coordination and efficiency in the field.
🌍 Global Use in Falconry
Harris hawks are widely flown in:
• United States: Most popular bird among falconers
• United Kingdom: Common in pest control and sport
• Spain & Portugal: Used in traditional and modern falconry
• Canada: Preferred bird for novice falconers
Their adaptability to deserts, woodlands, and even urban areas makes them versatile hunting partners.
🧬 Physical Characteristics
• Size: 18–24 inches (46–60 cm)
• Wingspan: 41–47 inches (103–120 cm)
• Weight: Males 700–900g; Females 1–1.6kg
• Coloration: Dark brown body, reddish shoulders, white-tipped tail
• Lifespan: 10–15 years in the wild; up to 25 in captivity
Females are significantly larger and dominate the social hierarchy. This sexual dimorphism plays a role in hunting dynamics, with larger females often leading the chase.
🛠️ Falconry Training: From Eyas to Hunter
Training a Harris hawk requires patience, consistency, and respect for the bird’s instincts. Here’s a proven approach:
1. Manning and Bonding
• Spend hours with the bird on the glove
• Use food rewards and calm handling
• Introduce varied environments to reduce fear
2. Creance Training
• Use a long line to teach recall
• Practice flying to the glove at increasing distances
• Reinforce with food and verbal praise
3. Lure Work
• Simulate prey with a lure
• Teach strike and return behavior
4. Field Conditioning
• Introduce live quarry in controlled settings
• Practice flushing game with dogs or beaters
• Monitor weight to maintain hunting drive
5. Telemetry
• Equip with GPS or radio telemetry
• Train the bird to respond to signals and recall
🧪 Hunting Readiness Exercises
To sharpen a Harris hawk’s instincts:
• Jumping drills: From perch to glove
• Lure chasing: Simulate prey movement
• Carcass feeding: Build confidence with dead game
• Follow-on training: Teach the bird to follow the falconer through terrain
These exercises reinforce natural behaviors while ensuring control and safety during hunts.
🧼 Care and Maintenance
Proper care is essential for performance and longevity.
Diet
• Feed twice daily: mice, quail, rabbit, or squirrel
• Supplement with calcium and vitamin D3
Housing
• Outdoor aviary: minimum 8x8x6 feet
• Provide perches, shelter, and clean water
Grooming
• Regular talon and beak checks
• Feather maintenance via misting or bathing
Health
• Routine vet checkups
• Watch for signs of illness: lethargy, weight loss, feather damage
Socialization
• Daily interaction strengthens the bond
• Free-flying sessions maintain physical and mental health
🧤 Falconry Equipment Essentials
• Glove: Heavy-duty leather for handling
• Jesses and Anklets: Secure the bird during transport
• Swivels and Leashes: Prevent tangling
• Hood or Giant Hood: Used for calming or transport
• Telemetry Gear: GPS or radio tracking for safety
🏹 Hunting in the Field
Harris hawks excel in:
• Teamwork: Coordinated attacks with other hawks or dogs
• Adaptability: Effective in desert, woodland, and urban settings
• Persistence: Relentless pursuit of quarry
• Intelligence: Strategic use of height and terrain JV
Their ability to learn and adjust makes them ideal for both novice and seasoned falconers. A confident Harris hawk will amaze with its precision and intensity.
---
Another remarkable feature of Harris hawks is their adaptability to various environments, including urban settings. Unlike many raptors that shy away from human activity, Harris hawks can thrive in cities and suburbs, often nesting on tall buildings or hunting in open parks. This flexibility makes them especially valuable for pest control and educational demonstrations, where their calm demeanor and tolerance for crowds allow falconers to showcase their skills in public settings.
🧭 Final Thoughts
If you’re serious about falconry, the Harris hawk is not just a bird—it’s a legacy. With the right training, care, and respect, this raptor becomes a true hunting companion, capable of feats few others can match. Its intelligence, social nature, and adaptability make it one of the most popular birds used in falconry—and for good reason.
Skylarks, starlings and mistle thrushes: Endangered songbirds licensed to be killed for sport in UK
Skylarks, starlings and mistle thrushes are among the red-listed species approved to be hunted by falconers.
Should endangered wild birds be hunted for sport?
It sounds like an odd question to be asking in 2023, in the midst of a biodiversity crisis.
Yet, at a time when many avian species in the UK are under threat of regional extinction, government data reveals falconers are permitted to hunt rare songbirds.
The data, released this week by government watchdog Natural England, has caused concern among environmentalists.
What is falconry and how is it regulated in the UK?
Falconry involves hunting wild animals in their natural habitat using a trained bird of prey.
There are reportedly around 25,000 falconers in the UK. The sport itself dates back hundreds of years, and it has seen a resurgence in recent times.
While it remains legal throughout Britain, many outside the hobby are unaware that captive falcons are used to hunt native wild birds - including some endangered species.
So there was widespread criticism when it emerged that Natural England has been issuing licences to hunt red-listed songbirds - those of high conservation concern - for sport.
An application form on the government’s website asks the falconer to select a number of ‘quarry’ species they wish to kill. Among the 25 species on the list of quarry birds are 11 amber-listed and seven red-listed examples.
The licences themselves are free of charge and the approval process is at the discretion of Natural England’s staff.
Natural England is a non-departmental public body, technically making it independent of the government. It is sponsored by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and issues licences on behalf of the government.
With Natural England’s stated aim being “to help conserve, enhance and manage the natural environment for the benefit of present and future generations, thereby contributing to sustainable development,” news of the falconry licences has angered British bird lovers.
What is the red list of threatened species?
The IUCN Red List is an internationally accepted system for classifying species at high risk of global extinction. Global and national lists are compiled to identify species in decline.
In the UK, the red list of birds is longer than ever before due to human incursion and habitat destruction. It now contains 70 species, nine of which are threatened with global extinction.
Species whose conservation status is of moderate concern are placed on the amber list.
Which endangered birds are permitted to be killed for sport in England?
The UK government’s latest licence statistics, which now include the falconry licence data for the first time, reveal that permission is regularly granted to kill several endangered species.
These include skylark, fieldfare and mistle thrush, permitting these otherwise heavily protected birds to be legally hunted.
Other red-list birds permitted to be killed in falconry include dunnocks, house sparrows, lapwings, rooks, song thrushes and starlings.
Skylarks, starlings and mistle thrushes: Endangered songbirds licensed to be killed for sport in UK
Skylarks, starlings and mistle thrushes are among the red-listed species approved to be hunted by falconers.
Should endangered wild birds be hunted for sport?
It sounds like an odd question to be asking in 2023, in the midst of a biodiversity crisis.
Yet, at a time when many avian species in the UK are under threat of regional extinction, government data reveals falconers are permitted to hunt rare songbirds.
The data, released this week by government watchdog Natural England, has caused concern among environmentalists.
What is falconry and how is it regulated in the UK?
Falconry involves hunting wild animals in their natural habitat using a trained bird of prey.
There are reportedly around 25,000 falconers in the UK. The sport itself dates back hundreds of years, and it has seen a resurgence in recent times.
While it remains legal throughout Britain, many outside the hobby are unaware that captive falcons are used to hunt native wild birds - including some endangered species.
So there was widespread criticism when it emerged that Natural England has been issuing licences to hunt red-listed songbirds - those of high conservation concern - for sport.
An application form on the government’s website asks the falconer to select a number of ‘quarry’ species they wish to kill. Among the 25 species on the list of quarry birds are 11 amber-listed and seven red-listed examples.
The licences themselves are free of charge and the approval process is at the discretion of Natural England’s staff.
Natural England is a non-departmental public body, technically making it independent of the government. It is sponsored by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and issues licences on behalf of the government.
With Natural England’s stated aim being “to help conserve, enhance and manage the natural environment for the benefit of present and future generations, thereby contributing to sustainable development,” news of the falconry licences has angered British bird lovers.
What is the red list of threatened species?
The IUCN Red List is an internationally accepted system for classifying species at high risk of global extinction. Global and national lists are compiled to identify species in decline.
In the UK, the red list of birds is longer than ever before due to human incursion and habitat destruction. It now contains 70 species, nine of which are threatened with global extinction.
Species whose conservation status is of moderate concern are placed on the amber list.
Which endangered birds are permitted to be killed for sport in England?
The UK government’s latest licence statistics, which now include the falconry licence data for the first time, reveal that permission is regularly granted to kill several endangered species.
These include skylark, fieldfare and mistle thrush, permitting these otherwise heavily protected birds to be legally hunted.
Other red-list birds permitted to be killed in falconry include dunnocks, house sparrows, lapwings, rooks, song thrushes and starlings.
