Falconry pics

[Featheredsamurai]

I was hanging out with a friend of mine yesterday who is a falconer, He's a awesome guy and it's so cool to hang out with him. I also have 2 videos I can post later if

This is me with a male Harris hawk. He's a smaller subspecies.

hybrid saker falcon

Harris Hawk

Augur buzzard

This was a huge female Saker

female Applomado falcon

Lanner falcon

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Here's his applomado in flight, this was her last flight and I should of filmed her earlier when she was zooming around really fast. One of his falcons would fly inches(and sometimes touch you) next to your head at full speed. Amazing!

[ame="http://youtu.be/Lk4kKd9LB_4"]applomado falcon - YouTube[/ame]

I was filming the Harris hawk while holding him. At the end he flies off because I was moving a lot(wanted more flowers in the background) and I didn't have any quail.

[ame="http://youtu.be/oY4sHI1FHDU"]Harris hawk - YouTube[/ame]

One of the homing pigeon chicks, so cute.

[ame="http://youtu.be/5nGOYaYv_Ik"]homing pigeon chick - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Here's one more video, just walking around the backyard.

[ame=http://youtu.be/APOrD0OZHhE]falcons and hawks - YouTube[/ame]

 

[tab_xo]

Wow!!! That's awesome, they are sooo amazing! and great pictures!

What is the purpose of those leather cuff like things on their legs and that head mask on the saker? I know nothing about falconry :09:

I cant watch the videos as my internet is too slow at the moment :31:

 

[getwozzy]

Omg!!! That's so awesome!!! I love falconry but have never tried it... We have a lot of red tails here (oregon) and we have a bald eagle that stops by once in a while. I love the birds of prey -they're so cool!!

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Wow!!! That's awesome, they are sooo amazing! and great pictures!

What is the purpose of those leather cuff like things on their legs and that head mask on the saker? I know nothing about falconry :09:

I cant watch the videos as my internet is too slow at the moment :31:

Thanks! I'm glad you like them

The leather cuffs are called Jesses, they are basically a leash to hold on to, tie to your glove(many have a extra loop for that), and you attach the jesses to a leash while they are on their perches.
The hood is often used to transport the birds, or when you don't want them to try to fly off. She was only wearing a hood to get her upper mandible clipped.

In the last video I show his kookaburra, female peregrine, breeding pair of augur buzzards, the breeding pairs adult baby who I show first, the big female saker, and his hybrid saker who was curious about my phone.

*edit*
I forgot to mention they also have tracking devices on their legs too. And a few, like the applomado have the tracker on their back.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Omg!!! That's so awesome!!! I love falconry but have never tried it... We have a lot of red tails here (oregon) and we have a bald eagle that stops by once in a while. I love the birds of prey -they're so cool!!

It's so much fun If you ever see a falconer not hesitate to ask if you can watch them.

I'm planning to get my falconer's license(and you need a hunting license even if you don't hunt with them) after I find another job and have some money saved up. You do a two year apprenticeship and have to start off with a wild caught first year red tail hawk or American kestrel.

 

[JerseyWendy]

WOW Ashley!!!! I am GREEN with envy, NO kidding! STUNNING pictures and videos!!! Thank you SO much for posting these.

Now let me go wipe the drool off my lips. :54:

 

[OOwl]

Such beautiful pictures! What a great and interesting friend! I appreciate your sharing those pics and videos.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

WOW Ashley!!!! I am GREEN with envy, NO kidding! STUNNING pictures and videos!!! Thank you SO much for posting these.

Now let me go wipe the drool off my lips. :54:

It's easy to drool over something as amazing as a bird, especially when the bird is a apex predator.

Such beautiful pictures! What a great and interesting friend! I appreciate your sharing those pics and videos.

He is interesting, and his daughter(we went to high school together) is also a very interesting person. She is one month away from graduating with her ornithology and also has her falconer's license and also has a fantastic character.

I'm glad you liked them

 

[Featheredsamurai]

I just had a good laugh, I posted some photos of the female saker falcon on my bird blog birdworlds.tumblr.com, I put a r at the end of you and... here, I'll just show you

Saker falcon. She would fly so close to our heads! Sometimes her wing tips would touch your.
​

Touch my WHAT? WHY WONT YOU TELL ME!!

 

[faeryphoebe1]

Wow! Birds of Prey are stunning, beautiful and regal at the same time. I love watching these videos. Thank you so much for sharing. I often go on Youtube to try to see such amazing things. Thank you, again.

 

[Akraya]

Definitely very cool to see, thanks for sharing!

 

[JerseyWendy]

I just had a good laugh, I posted some photos of the female saker falcon on my bird blog birdworlds.tumblr.com, I put a r at the end of you and... here, I'll just show you

Saker falcon. She would fly so close to our heads! Sometimes her wing tips would touch your.
​

Touch my WHAT? WHY WONT YOU TELL ME!!

That is funny!!!!

 

[ruffledfeathers]

Amazing, beautiful photos!! What a great experience. I would love to have been there!!

 

[MonicaMc]

Amazing birds and gorgeous photos! I especially loved the last one! I half wonder what people think of hybrid falcons and hawks.

Falcon training is different to parrot training. I'm curious to know if you've ever picked up any training tips or ideas from them!

 

[Yapallocelotl]

Awsome pics, im fascinated by birds of prey, when the time is right i too want to be a falconer . The feathers.of these birds are precious i would be able to use them in my dance crafts thanks for sharing

 

[Wings]

Copper, falconry is such an interesting sport! If you do pursue falconry, post pics of your red-tailed hawk Be careful, your hawk might be chased by your parrots

 

[JadeC]

That is so interesting!!! Makes me wonder.... How come we can't do something like that with our parrots with the leash thing? Instead of a harness, why not just a leash type thing around their leg? Is there a reason we don't do it with parrots or is it just a thing for falcons??

 

[Featheredsamurai]

That is so interesting!!! Makes me wonder.... How come we can't do something like that with our parrots with the leash thing? Instead of a harness, why not just a leash type thing around their leg? Is there a reason we don't do it with parrots or is it just a thing for falcons??

Those are called jesses, and they can't be used with parrots. It's actually pretty simple, a raptors legs can take high impact because their feet are designed for grabbing(and sometimes crushing) prey. On the other hand a parrots feet are designed for walking, sitting, scratching a itch, and holding food and are not able to handle the stress of jesses.