Falcons are now rare, and this article will focus mainly on hawks. I am becoming more and more convinced of the advantage of hawks as birds of prey. They combine the best qualities of an eagle and a falcon with the agility of a magpie. The hawk works "short-cut", which is very convenient, since the protracted chase, if it brings good luck, then it is no longer possible to get prey from the pet.
Let's talk about the conditions necessary for keeping a bird of prey. First of all, there must be a reliable food base.
What to feed a bird of prey
In the summer I catch ground squirrels and young corvids, in the winter - sisar pigeons. I freeze the surplus and for the future, but periodically I give the pets fresh, after examining the carcass well, so as not to bring the disease. I avoid rough beef (except for the heart and, to a lesser extent, the liver), as it often causes indigestion. The smaller the predator, the more undesirable is the change in its natural diet. Chicks should eat bones, and to facilitate their burping and feathers with fluff.
The quantity, frequency of feeding depends on the age of the bird, its activity, season. For example, in summer, a goshawk and a falcon have enough dove for two or three days, and in frosts - only for a day. In summer you can feed every other day, in winter - every day. Once I disregarded this rule and found a hawk half-dead, with a frostbitten paw. I had to keep him in the apartment until spring.
The sparrowhawk is fed twice a day or once in winter., but clean meat and "to satiety". Its summer norm is a pair of sparrows, winter - twice as much. In winter, the crowded goiter of a predator can freeze, so its house must be windproof. In summer, on the contrary, it is cool, especially when kept on the crossbar, which excludes the rally to the floor.
How to equip a crossbar for birds of prey
I fix the crossbar so that the flying hawk will never touch its wings. In the middle of it I cut out a circular groove and put on a ring. I fasten a cord to the ring with a cross member at the end, threaded through the slots of the leg straps. Taking off, the predator turns on the ring and sits down on the crossbar upholstered with felt as if on a glove during gestation. But we must constantly monitor that during landing the tied bird does not hang and does not stretch the tendons. The legs of the sparrow hawk are fragile, so it is good to add an elastic band to the cord for cushioning. An untied bird can be hurt on the walls, and then work poorly in the field, where often the claw hook on the victim, at least in passing, decides. He is sharp - and the victim is instantly intercepted by all claws, blunt - will leave only a cloud of broken feathers. Even more important is the condition of the claws when hunting hares. Of course, sick birds and youngsters cannot be tied. This method is also good because it does not require daily cleaning - I put fresh hay on the floor.
Diseases of birds of prey
Bird of prey gets sick, as a rule, with exhaustion, combined with unsanitary conditions. After recovery, the bird should not be allowed to lose weight, access to sewage must be excluded. The key to longevity is fresh food, movement, a clean, dry room and the exclusion of sudden temperature changes.
Feather damage in birds of prey. I cut off broken feathers at the base, and glue whole feathers into the voids. Wrinkled feathers are steamed with water and straightened. I carry out all operations before the bird sleeps. However, neither sharpening the claws nor prosthetic feathers can make up for their natural ideality. It is better to protect the bird from unpleasant accidents, especially during molting, than to treat.
Before purchasing a bird of prey, consider how, to whom to entrust it when leaving, where to practice and hunt with it, where to keep it. You can, of course, build a canvas tent on the balcony with air vents at the bottom, mount an arc with a shifting ring in it and tie the hawk so that it can walk on the floor. But where do you get time for out-of-town workouts? My birds live 5 minutes walk from the grounds, and even then I can hardly manage before dark. Without intensive training, a predator cannot take a game game - in ancient times, with a fearless bird, they created maximum advantages for birds of prey when flying.
I advise you to comprehend the basics of gestation with a sparrowhawk. He trains in a week. If it doesn’t work out, it’s pointless to take on a predator of another species. The female sparrowhawk is under the power of partridge, teal, hazel grouse, and she has no equal in dexterity.
The goshawk is three times larger and more stubborn than the sparrowhawk. Usually, in goshawks, the youngest chick does not survive to fly. It should be taken, preferably when the female begins to leave and, therefore, the anxiety factor is excluded. The last chick is greedy, and this is what a novice hunter needs. But remember that by visiting the nest often, you will doom the brood to starvation - a worried female will stop hunting.
Breeding a bird of prey
So, you have a strong, yellow-eyed handsome hawk! First of all, put on the straps for him and, hooking them with the carbine of the dog leash, seat him on the glove. The hawk will rush and possibly hang, fearing the hand. Then carefully grab it with your palm behind your back and hoist it into place. And so on, until he begins to fly onto the glove himself. Now you can smoothly walk around the room, trying not to look at the bird. I have heard a lot about hawk attacks and I think that the trainer’s incontinence is to blame. The vast majority of costs in training are on the conscience of falconers, although there are feathered stubborn ones who need special attention, including swaddling and force-feeding. Usually these birds are released. But who knows, maybe they are the best hunters.
Having tired the goshawk with two or three days of gestation (more like a sparrowhawk), put a pigeon belly into the glove and freeze when it squints at the delicacy of the eye. If he starts to eat, quietly pull the rest of the food down and show them on the other glove, as if inviting him to a new brisket. The hawk will timidly step over and continue the meal. Then return the handout to its original place, slightly moving it away. The predator will jump after her. Then he will fly from his chair - and things will go. Just do not forget to call him, and replace the leash with a thread so that he feels free. Determine the dose of bites according to the behavior of the bird, but do not cross the line beyond which whims from obesity or complete indifference from emaciation. It is more reliable to weigh a pet, finding out the grams of weight needed for work, because its appetite is predetermined by a premonition of bad weather and other elusive reasons. If a hawk swallows meat with bones and feathers, do not resume activities until he has dropped the pellet.
Before going out of town, starve him a little and start the first exam in the evening, when the predator is in a hurry to get enough. Walking on the hand is absorbed in about 10 days. After that, start priming. In addition to pigeons and rabbits, I use a rubber stuffed grouse covered with skin. Rotating it on the rod, I gradually complicate the capture, which develops viscosity and fearlessness in the goshawk for big game. I take a pocket lure for hunting, having previously aroused the predator's passion for it by biting the tied meat.
I tame the sparrowhawk to the pigeons, cutting their feathers. By the way, a pigeon launched on a string speeds up the search for an escaped hawk, which at first stays close to the place of release. In the future, the fugitive runs wild, differing from his fellows only in straps on his paws.
And his happiness, if the long skirts, getting wet, do not overwhelm the branch in the thicket. This has happened to my hawks. I even shortened the straps to the eagle, compensating for this with large rings that make it easier to thread the cord from the stand. The cord for holding the golden eagle is thick, for the hawk it is thin (linen), with a smooth coating and a thread inside. It is slippery and does not stretch.
Not all areas are suitable for flooding. That's why careful transportation of birds of prey is important. I abandoned the bulky "European" boxes and transport the eagle wrapped in a camouflage coat, and the hawk in a cape with a hood. Naturally, a sitting bird is calm, if you do not change the tilt of the arm or the stand (for example, when removing the eagle from the shoulder). AT public transport I cover the predator's head with a hood. Even when shaking, the “dressed” bird sits firmly and only “dives” to the beat of the bumps. Having reached the place, I put on a dressing gown and start hunting with a bird of prey.
Considering that in our lands it is almost impossible to take two trophies for an exit, I encourage the bird to my fill with luck. The predator learns this and willingly gives up the prey or even drags it to the hunter, contrary to the established opinion that birds of prey do not do this. The generosity of the owner stimulates the bird's desire for community. This is what I want to emphasize.
In the field, on the simulators, the main thing is to achieve mutual understanding from the pet. Of course, the hawk is far from the dog. He can fly away, thus crossing out the successes achieved. Therefore, mutual understanding is the key to reliability. One of my goshawks could follow me all day, choosing a position advantageous for attacks. From his behavior one could guess not only where the game was hiding in the supports, but also what kind. A smart hawk will not fall into the useless pursuit of a flying black grouse, but will occupy a "high-rise" and, patiently waiting for the owner, will cut off the second black grouse, which was late with the flight, on takeoff. This is the crown of a joint sports victory, inspiring the falconer with his bird to new, even more reverent searches.
Berkut Altai found prey and guarded it, and without receiving support, it soared and was already looking for its owner. Somehow, on a frosty January day, Altai, lost somewhere, suddenly emerged from behind a hill, dived, hastily swallowed the meat thrown on the snow and flew away again, as if inviting a two-legged slow-moving slug to follow it. And so it was repeated three times, until I made my way through the snowdrifts to the fox mouse behind the ridge and helped the eagle to overcome it. The snow seemed hot to me then, my clothes got wet, blood was flowing from Altai's paw, but we, I assure you, were the happiest hunters in the world. After all, in the backpack was a huge taiga fox "semi-pudovik".
My Altai takes off on a coaster not for a handout, but as a convenient perch(it's scary to wear it on the shoulder). However, any innovation for a bird should be understandable and desirable. You should not abuse the attributes that interfere with the work of the predator. In my stand there is a “brake” for the bird, and a cord for the right hand (when the “squat” is placed on the shoulder), and a carabiner for attaching a field lure (for an eagle - a fox tail, for other birds - dove wings). The stand is easily stuck into the crust, into the ground, or fastened in a fork in the branches in case of a halt. Without it, it is impossible to hunt on foot with large predators, and even with small ones it is tiring.
An excellent hunter, surprisingly dexterous bird. In its strength and speed of flight bird falcon can't compare to anyone. The speed of its flight reaches 320 km / h and this is amazing.
This predator feels much more confident in the air than on the ground. Thanks to its strength and agility falcon bird of prey deservedly called the main winged bird on the planet. They perfectly maneuver, show unprecedented dexterity in flight.
Not only in legends, but also in real life bird of the falcon family it is the deadliest weapon. But, as soon as the falcon descends to the ground, its agility and dexterity are replaced by clumsiness and clumsiness.
Since ancient times, people have learned to tame this strong bird, and to this day falcon, eagle birds remain the most faithful and devoted friends to the hunter, which is what distinguishes them from other predatory ones. The falcon hunts beautifully thanks to its perfect, sharp eyesight. He can see his prey from the air for a kilometer, and on the ground for a hundred meters.
Features and habitat of the falcon
It is impossible to look at without charm falcon bird photo. They fascinate with their power in the body, massive chest and strong, wide wings. They have a rather short beak. Only at first glance it seems small and unusable.
In fact, the falcon's beak is its most important and powerful weapon, on the upper jaw of which there is a sharp prong. It closes with the lower jaw. The bird's eyes are surrounded by a narrow bare ring. The falcon has a long tail.
Its wings are also large, they reach to the end of the tail. The fly feather is the second, it is also the longest. This design of feathers is already in adult birds.
Young ones, at a young age, have all the feathers of the flight feathers, and this is what distinguishes them from their mature relatives. At the sight of wide-open wings, there is no doubt that a young falcon is in flight.
This causes him some inconvenience in flight, but at the same time skills are acquired in flight. There are about 40 species of falcons on the entire planet. These 40 species are classified into three types according to their appearance and hunting methods.
These strong ones live in many places. The only place where it is impossible to meet them is the Arctic regions. For different types of birds, respectively, different areas of habitat.
For example, the noble falcon gyrfalcon lives in northern countries and prefers the ocean coast, with many different birds. Falcon, peregrine falcon and many other of his brethren cannot sit in one place at all.
It seems that they have decided to fly around the whole world. And that's how it actually works. From Asia they fly to Europe, then they are observed in Africa and America. For some species of falcon, harsh Russian winters are preferred, while others feel great and comfortable in hot equatorial countries.
The nature and lifestyle of the falcon
What a falcon bird has been known for a long time. Thanks to his majestic posture, all regal appearance, courage, strength and dexterity, he has long been considered a noble bird. They hunt in the morning and in the evening.
The rest of the time they calmly digest their prey in secluded, inaccessible places. The principle of falcon hunting is different. They can overtake their prey in flight.
Birds that are smaller in size become victims. From a great height, falcons overtake their ground prey. At such moments, it is simply impossible to see them because of the rapid fall at incredible speed.
Pictured is a flying falcon
This strong one nests high in trees, on bulky structures, on rocks and very rarely on the ground. There are times when falcons settle in someone else's spacious nests.
There are falcons who like to have fun from time to time, for this they arrange a real show in the airspace. It is this type of bird that is easily tamed. They are not afraid of people, quickly converge with them and can even settle with them nearby.
Falcons come often, tease others birds of prey and it gives them pleasure. Almost always, it is these birds that fly to the wintering place in large groups and very often bring great benefits to humans.
They are distinguished from steel birds by their ability to rise too high in the air. Falcons never eat carrion. They live in pairs, trying with all their might to protect their space from their fellows and other predators.
Literally all types of falcons have a tendency to nomadism. Only in some it manifests itself throughout the entire time, others wander only to spend the winter, and still others do it periodically.
falcon feeding
Everything that the falcon gets while hunting is its food. From small birds, to insects and terrestrial mammals and rodents, this bird absorbs with pleasure.
It is interesting that a predator is able to hunt not only a flying prey, it is excellent at neutralizing an unsuspecting animal sitting on the ground.
When growing a falcon in a nursery, it is necessary to constantly supply it with real game, the bird can get sick from other food. Therefore, before you get a falcon, you need to find out for yourself one question - can the owner provide him with such food, because for this you may have to hunt yourself.
A balanced diet should be included in the diet. The falcon will feel best if he gets either rodent meat or lean meat. If you stick to such a diet, falcons will even retain the ability to breed in captivity.
Pictured is a falcon's nest
Reproduction and lifespan of a falcon
All species of these birds breed in almost the same way. They thrive in a monogamous relationship. Persistence is very important to them. The choice of a couple is approached with all seriousness.
And during the marriage ceremonies, you can see demonstration performances of birds. Falcons that live in the northern parts start the breeding season a month later than all the others, this is due to the cold weather conditions.
For nesting, falcons choose a variety of places, while taking into account their safety. The female lays 2 to 4 red eggs. The number of eggs laid directly depends on the availability of food.
In the photo, falcon chicks
The more food, the more eggs, respectively. The eggs are incubated by both the female and the male. This lasts for about a month. Parents surround small chicks with full custody. The grown birds will have to leave the territory, because in them the parents begin to feel their competitors.
Can buy bird falcon. There are people who are specially engaged in their breeding and training. They quickly become attached to a person and become not only a new family member, but also a true friend. falcon bird price low, about 20 dollars.
Do not attempt to train any bird unless you have completed courses and have a mentor. Too many birds get lost and die due to human inexperience. You must also be licensed to practice falconry. In the United States, a state and federal permit must be obtained along with a hunting license. DO NOT catch a falcon or let it fly until you have obtained a falconry license.
Before you begin, check the falconry laws in your area. If you live in the USA, contact state department on fishing and hunting and request a package of documents on falconry.
Find a mentor to guide you. This mentor must have at least two years of falconry experience and be willing to take the time to teach you.
As an apprentice falconer in the United States, you can only choose the red-tailed hawk or the American kestrel as your bird (unless state laws state otherwise). It is advisable to start with the red-tailed hawk, as it is more liberal when it comes to making mistakes. If you are not an apprentice but an ordinary falconer, choose the desert buzzard as your first bird, as it is smart and capable of catching game. An ideal first falcon would also be a female lanner. Don't choose a peregrine or gyrfalcon as your first bird, it's like buying a Porsche as your first car.
Keep the bird in the house with you for the first weeks. The more often she sees the family, the more "tame" she will become.
First of all, teach the falcon to jump or fly up to the glove on your fist. Once he gets used to the glove, show him the bait.
Achieve one fast flight instead of two flights that happen after a long fuss. If the bird does not arrive immediately, then postpone the bait for a few minutes. The bird should be waiting for you, not you the bird. She will try to train you. Actually you have to train the bird.
When flying towards the bait, let the bird catch it quickly sometimes. This way the bird will always try and think it has a chance. If she takes the bait, leave it to her. A bird that is bored is a lost bird.
Train your falcon to hood with early age and even after the bird gets used to it, keep exercising with it every day. There is no need to keep a bird in a hood unless you can tolerate it or it is in close forced contact with other people's birds.
Maintain cleanliness and order at all times. Dirt leads to disease and disgrace to the sport.
- Feed your bird good quality and a varied diet. Quail are a very nutritious staple food and will be eaten by falcons if taught from an early age. Mice are also a good staple food.
- Lubricate the entanglements with leather grease or a similar lubricant.
- Never let a person who is not familiar with falconry care for your bird, even for a day.
- Often, but not always, give your bird a treat when you approach or carry it. This should teach the bird to you. Encourage the bird to jump on your glove for a treat when it is well tamed, but not at the beginning of training.
- Teach your bird about many things, such as dogs and cars, so that he is not afraid of them. Anything can frighten the bird for a long time, but the bird will be calmer if he is used to daily distractions.
- If, for whatever reason, you are not sure whether to launch the bird, then don't. If something doesn't look right, trust your intuition, no matter who's watching you. There is nothing worse than losing a bird!
Falcons are the most widespread among birds of prey in the world. Their graceful name comes from the word falx, which means "sickle". This name is due to the peculiar shape of the wings that they can take during the flight. Thanks to such wedge-shaped wings, falcons are able to deftly maneuver and achieve incredible high speed in dive flight.
Scientists have proven that the falconiformes order contains 12 genera and about 60 species. The smallest bird of prey called the pygmy falcon (whose size is from 15 to 19 cm and weight up to 35 grams) and a large predator, the peregrine falcon, can be attributed to this detachment. According to experts, this is the fastest living creature in the world. In a swift dive flight, the peregrine falcon is capable of speeds up to 322 km/h. True, in horizontal flight it is inferior in speed to the swift.
Having found prey during the hunt, the falcon takes a position above the victim and dives down very rapidly at a right angle, while hitting the prey with paws pressed to the body along a tangent with such force that it dies instantly.
Since the time Kievan Rus it was the peregrine falcon that was called the falcon. It was only much later that this species received its modern, larger-scale significance. But even now, when talking about falcons, people mean peregrine falcons.
Species of birds of prey
Diurnal predators related to falcons are conditionally divided into several ethnic groups:
- kestrels- small reddish birds with a dark pattern;
- Hobbies- well built large birds with dark gray plumage;
- large falcons- in some cases, their size is comparable to the size of a hawk.
Habitats and nesting sites
The peregrine falcon is able to fly around the globe, so these feathered predators can be found almost everywhere. Usually this bird chooses to live in places where there is very little influence of human activity. Rocky shores of various reservoirs are considered favorite habitats.
In central Russia, peregrine falcons can most often be found in the steppes and semi-deserts, as well as on peat bogs. In Central Europe, these birds of prey build their nests on sheer cliffs. The peregrine falcon prefers to use the nests of other birds of prey to equip its home. They correct such a nest, make it spacious so that parents and chicks can live in it. And if the falcon has to build a nest on rocks or on the ground, they basically make only a primitive bedding of branches and large feathers. A good quality nest in a good location can accommodate several generations of this bird of prey. At the same time, each pair has several spare nests, in case the main one is destroyed.
Appearance of a falcon
It is noteworthy that the female is larger than the male. The mass of an adult female is 0.9–1.3 kg, while an adult male weighs 0.65–0.8 kg. The body length of the peregrine falcon is 40–50 cm, while the wingspan reaches 90–120 cm.
The predator has a strong physique, which is characteristic of active birds of prey. The main distinguishing features of the falcon are its broad chest with convex and hard muscles, strong fingers with sharply bent and sharp claws, and a curved crescent-shaped beak. The tail, rounded at the end, is narrow and relatively long. The eyes are bulging, large, around which there is a yellowish ring of bare skin. Eye color is dark brown.
The color of the falcon bird is dark gray. Wing tips are black. But the abdominal part of the body has a light color, which, depending on the habitat, may look in a different tone (from grayish-white to pinkish). The underside of the tail is black with a white stripe.
Food
The falcon feeds mainly on small and medium sized birds. The most requested menu of this bird of prey:
- thrushes;
- starlings;
- sparrows;
- pigeons;
- ducks.
The diet varies, depending on the birds and mammals living in the area. A large falcon is able to hunt not only for a flying prey, it is able to catch and neutralize even an animal sitting on the ground.
If a falcon is kept in a nursery, it must be constantly supplied with real game. Other food may harm the health of the predator. If you still decide to start breeding these birds, you will need to seriously think about the question of how to feed your bird with the appropriate food.
Bird nutrition should be balanced. Optimal Nutrition perhaps if the falcon periodically receives lean meat, then game meat. Provided that such a diet is observed, they are able to breed in captivity.
reproduction
Falcons are considered monogamous birds, so pairs stay together for many years of life. The falcon breeding season begins in April or May. Birds of northern species begin to breed a little later.
The male, calling on the female, spins in a spiral, performs various aerial pirouettes, suddenly somersaults or dives. And if the female sat down at an insignificant distance, it is considered that the pair is formed. And also during courtship, the male falcon can feed the female on the fly, transferring his prey to her.
During the nesting season falcons are very aggressive towards strangers. Even with a high density of bird habitation, the distance between neighboring nests can exceed 1 km, more often it is 2–6 km. Such a large territory is needed for birds to provide enough food for their offspring. Within one such territory, a family of falcons arranges up to seven nesting sites, which they use alternately for several seasons.
When defending its nests, the falcon becomes very aggressive and may attack larger predators. If the falcon feels the approach of a person, it gives an alarm signal and begins to worry already at a distance of 200–300 m from the nests.
The female lays eggs once a year. But in the case when the first eggs were lost for any reason, the female can lay them again. The female usually lays 3 eggs (much less often 2–5) with an interval of 48 hours.
Moult in the falcon occurs, as in other species of birds. Moulting starts in June and ends in October.
Despite the fact that the falcon is considered a dangerous bird of prey, its impact on the population of other birds is very small, because only one attack out of 10 is completed successfully for a predator.
deteriorating ecological situation and the threat from poachers have led to a gradual decline in the falcon population worldwide. And even the inclusion of the majority of falcon species in the Red Book cannot yet solve the problems of the development of these birds of prey.