Falconry
Falconry is a type of hunting in which the hunters use birds of prey, such as falcons or raptors, in order to hunt for prey which the bird is trained to return to their trainers.
Today, the most popular birds to use in falconry are generally the Red-tailed hawk and the Harris hawk due to their specific hunting patterns which contain traits that make it easier to train the birds. Merlin falcons are also popular choices due to the fact that they are smaller falcons to handle and have similar hunting patterns to the Red-tailed hawk.
It is unclear when the sport of falconry was first developed although most historians will agree that it either originated in Mesopotamia or in the Far East around 700 BC. It is also commonly accepted that falconry was brought to Europe in particular during AD 400 when the Arabs and Huns invaded the country from the East.
While falconry is regulated in many countries, Great Britain does not require a license be obtained in order to participate in falconry. The guideline is imposed however due to the Wildlife and Countryside Acct of 1981 that only birds that are born in captivity are allowed to be used in the sport of falconry and must be registered with the government in an attempt to protect the natural order of falcons as exists in the wild.
The restriction of captive bred falcons was a compromise given that many organizations including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds wanted to see the sport outlawed. Today the Chief Wildlife Act Inspector is responsible for overseeing the license requirements for falconry and is assisted by non-paid inspectors.
Although anyone is allowed to own a falcon under these laws, most falconry experts stress that the sport is not about owning a falcon, but instead hunting with the bird of prey. Thus, unless falcons are kept past their youth for breeding purposes serious falconries insist that all young captive bred falcons be trained to hunt.
In falconry, goshawks are used for hunting ferrets and rabbits, sparrow hawks are used for hunting smaller birds, and Merlins are used for hunting large birds in particular skylarks. The Harris hawk is considered the best hawk to use for those who are just beginning in the world of falconry.
