How to choose your First Bird of Prey
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- Опубликовано: 22 сен 2022
- Deciding what bird of prey to get for your first bird can be difficult. Many people class the Harris Hawk as a beginner bird, but is the Harris hawk a beginner bird? I don't think so, i don't think there is such a thing as a beginner bird in falconry. Choosing a species of bird of prey for falconry depends on a lot of different factors you have to consider. In this video i will discuss some of the things you have to think about when making this decision.
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Thank you for mentioning the outcome of all the "beginner" Harris hawks! Great birds with such potential but unfortunately it's rarely reached.
It’s a real shame, they are such great birds!
My first bird was a golden eagle. He is now a gentle and smart bird, not aggressiv and a good hunter. BUT i say all my students that is a very bad idea, because these birds a very sensitive and can be very very dangerous. I am so happy that you say the harris hawk is NOT a beginner bird. I have two harrsi and they are so different, the one is a high aggressiv bird, the other is a softie. Harris hawks are so intelligent, so you can make so many mistakes with these great birds. In germany is the goshawk a traditional beginner bird, or the peregrine falcon. Thanks for these good video!
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Hey the first birds you can get are a red tailed hawk and amarcan kestrel
You can only get eagles at master level
@@Backrooms.Partypooper.Hey i am from germany ;) my first bird was my golden eagle Horus Lupercarl. He is trained for hunting and a very gentle an calm bird. I have my own little falconry for misstreated birds and a little raptor center for our wild birds. Also i trained birds for other falconers, actual i trained a very aggressive imprinting golden eagle...why the hell people do that?? But i have a little american kestrel an a red tail too, they are fantastic birds! And i love red tails! Sadly here in germany many falconers dont like them, because they are to ,,aggressiv", here is the goshawk the traditional,,beginner" bird.
@@lisakruse6704 ah sorry I’m from America guess we have different laws lol
In Oklahoma (central u.s.), we have 2 options for a starter bird. Red tailed hawk and American kestrel. It also depends on your sponsor, some of them only give you one option if you want to do falconry.
How is having a kestrel? How much space do you need? Would they be good for my son (we rescued a hawk when I was young per state law but when it was old enough to start weening we had to turn it over to the state outside of that never had an avión but I want to)
The quality of this video is superb! Thank you very much!
Thank you, you are welcome 😁
I am so glad that this video exists, it really points me in the right direction and helps me understand the kind of bird of prey to choose, thanks dan!
You are very welcome, I’m happy to have helped!
Delighted to see the new Common Buzzard you got! Could easily become my favourite out of all your birds - I’m so weak for buzzards it’s unreal 😅 I am getting a Buzzard as a first bird very soon. I know they’re not as efficient as some other birds for hunting but after volunteering at falconry places I just love their personalities. A few bunnies a year will be enough to make me happy. Anyway though, I’ve been watching for a fair while though even if I haven’t commented much and I love your stuff, thanks for it and keep it up! You explain complex concepts in a really easy to understand way which I adore.
Thank you very much, very kind words. I am right in the middle of filming a video all about Barry the buzzard, and good luck for when you get one, they don’t need to be a prolific hunter for you to have a load of fun with them! 😁
My first bird that was given to me is a changeable hawk eagle! Thank you so much for this video!
Wow I bet that was a challenge as a first bird!
@@MercerFalconryHello sir I found a baby hawk or falcon I hv no idea, it's eyes are gray and not able to see.. is there any thing i cd do for it ?
Or atleast help me to make a normal routine of its food for it's further happy life..
It's been 2 days i am feeding it meat 2 times a day morning and evening..
Sir pls help
as a falconer that has 20+ years experiance im glad ur shining alot of light within our community/lifestyle as iv heard of ALOT of birds have been killed/lost or hurt due to no experiance or knowledge of what they wanna do ... the more people know the better ... alot of people dont notice the amount of patients, time and effort that go in to just keeping these birds healthy
Thank you I appreciate your comment, do you own hawks at the moment?
@MercerFalconry your verybwelcome buddy... not at the moment do to my job ... I won't have the time for them and I believe as a falconer you should keep them fit and healthy or its just not fair on them
But my last birds were go's hawks and spars...
how much time a week does it require to keep them healthy?
and which one is best for just going out into the countryside 3 days a week to watch it fly/soar, and some hunting for itself, and for mainly open fields/areas?
Thank you very much. Always very clear and instructive. I have learned a lot with your videos.
Congrats for your work and dedication.
Thank you, I’m very happy they are helpful
Another great video from mercer falconry, interesting and informative as usual. Hope you keep them coming
Just looking into all this. What a great source of info. Thx
Appreciation for the video; I’m interested in watching more of your videos as I prepare for my journey. I don’t have a bird yet
Plenty to watch and plenty more to come!
Thanks for the draft scenarios 😮.
Thanks this really helped me a lot!!!
Excellent video and very informative, thanks 🙏🏻
Thank you 😊
Great stuff Dan. 👏👍👌
Thanks Willie! 😁
I’m new. To falconry I will most likely get a Harris hawk first I love them such a fab bird
They really are a great bird!
Brilliant advice
Thank you
Great video, thank you
How would you recommend getting into Falconry? I am currently have no experience with large birds and I am about to go into the army but once I'm out in 10 or so years I would like to get my own bird of prey for hunting. is there anything you could recommend me to do in the meantime to learn what would be required to properly look after a bird of prey?
Hi Dan hope your well, this is really made my day my favourite species is the harris hawk followed closely by the barn owl then the peregrine falcon
Excellent, all great birds and all very different, I enjoy flying all 3 of them!
@@MercerFalconry I bet you do, i have the pleasure of been up close with so many of these beauties as my uncle is a falconer and I help him out when I can
We are very lucky to be able to spend time with them
Yo dan how are you doing thanks this information will help me start my falconry career
I’m doing great thanks and hope you are too!
Great video thanks
Extremely well said Dan, glad to hear that sound advice, I hope you are well, perfect video 👍
Thanks, I’m very well, happy to be winding down now the show seasons is over, how are you?
@@MercerFalconry I’m well thank you Dan.
I can imagine it’s been busy , a lovely summer 👍
Good, are you excited for the hunting season?
@@MercerFalconry very exited, we are on a diet this week , little creance going well, we will be out again early next week.
Still a little way to go but not much.
I enjoy this part getting the hawk ready and slowly fit again.
Will you be making videos about it all?
I began with a Coragyps, as my family is native and we live closely with a community of black vultures and Andean condors. These birds serve as trackers and occasionally assist in hunting. They either blind the prey or harass it to drive it toward us, sometimes even off cliffs. Much like corvids, they are highly social, resembling a gang or a large mafia. We are considered part of their flock, and they treat us as either friends or parents, depending on the individual.
Young people tend to see me as a side figure and there are some my age who are simply like your dog who acts as a Best Friend. Most people see me as the figure of a hunter who brings the food, Young ones usually ask me for food or sometimes they just follow me around just like cats.
Edited coz I realized they are way more cat like than dog like.
Nice video, i noticed a couple of birds of prey around mi home on one side i have a big meadow with just a couple of trees there i can see a grey falcon hunting and observing from top of trees and sometimes close to ground (Falco peregrinus) but on the other side i have a dense woodland and i can hear owls in the night and also i spoted euroasian owl (Bubo bubo) flying out of woodland towards the meadow it was flying pretty low and slow just over my head 2 or 2.5 meters from the ground, terrain is on a slope of a mountain and i heard that can confuse the bird.of the pray awaylable for hunting there are field mice, many small types of birds, lizards, rabbits, foxes Can you suggest which bird of prey would be the best fit for my terrain and food available any advice would be much apreciated? Or should i just stick with the species i saw living here euroasian owl or grey falcon?
Great video dan
Thank you!!! 😊
hi ,,thanks for all the tips ,,
very helpful explanation 🙏👍💯💯💯
You are very welcome, I’m happy it helped!
Amazing video, looking forward to my journey into hawking 💕💕 Living on 65 hectares in moderate climate part of California with plenty of rabbits and flighted game birds. Would love your thoughts/opinions on what possibilities I'd have at giving one of these birds an amazing partnership with myself and my English Springer Spaniel.
I guess to begin with your best bet would be a passage Red tail!
@@MercerFalconry red tails are our local bird, and I have 1 or 2 that I see circling or up on a tree top from time to time. 💕 The tip, and I'll keep watching/following
Cool 😎 I think I will start with the Ornate Hawk Eagle
I’ve always been curious about falconry, I’m not looking to hunt but simply have a bird because it looks fun but I don’t want to get a bird simply display.
I’d like to interact with my bird but not using it for hunting so I’m doing my research on it so I don’t affect the bird’s life in any negative
Great video Dan. I’m fortunate to have several species of hawks owls and falcons where I live. A couple of years ago I found an active red-shoulder hawk nest across the street from my house. 2 years ago a red a gray morph pair ,the female was red and the male was gray, of East red screech owls nest in a tree at the end of my drive way. A while back not far from my house I found a red-tailless hawk nest that is still being used today. 2 years ago a pair of great horned owls took over that same red-tailed hawk nest. last year I saw a pair of Merlins exhibiting courtship behavior in my local park I was unable to find the nest. I hear and see all of these birds frequently with the exception of the great horned owls. As a side note I was wondering how your caracara is doing?
Wow you are incredibly lucky to see all of that, I have a similar situation here but with a wonderful range of british species all around me. The caracara is doing well, she is currently having a holiday as she is heavily moulting
Interesting I've actually got 2 birds of prey living near me and they are all favourites the kestrel and goshawk (nearly got hit by the goshawk whilst birdwatching once) I caught the kestrel hunting somewhere near me one day and I love it when it visits me
Wow you are very lucky, I have never seen a wild goshawk
@@MercerFalconry they are quite stunning as I've heard they inhabit forests and hunt in open areas
They are a woodland species, very short wings and a very long tail so they are incredibly agile and quick off the mark
I REALLY APPRECIATE AND LOVE THE WAY YOU DISSEMINATE INFORMATION ABOUT RAPTORS ON YOUR RUclips CHANNEL!! BEST OF LUCK 😊👍❤LOVE FROM INDIA 🇮🇳!!
Thank you so much, you are very welcome, I’m happy the videos are helpful! 😁
Thank you 🤗
You are welcome
:31 i couldn't agree more. i'm in a different avian circle focusing on smaller birds; mainly parrots. never ever adopt the attitude or position that this animal is the first step with the intention to discard.
Hi iv been interested in falconry for years and I'm wanting to get into it with a harris hawk how long would it take to lern the basic things I need to know about falconry training etc ? I know I will get some negative feedback from true falconers but was just looking for loads of information thanks
Can you make a video going through how to start so I can soon have a license some of us need a lil help because I’m willing to pay and do what I need to to have one of these beautiful birds
Can you explain how much to feed per day in relation to what is fed while flying. Say two chicks are fed per day and you use one while out walking follow on style, not hunting. Do you then feed the other chick at some point that day? Then if you were to do a long follow on walk and use up all your two chicks while walking would you then feel the need to feed anything extra that day. This question is aimed at working with a Harris Hawk. Thanks
Lots of Physics. Amazing
I’m in Illinois and red tails and kestrels are both found here. I really want a red tail but I have lots of sparrows and it would probably be better for a kestrel.
Hi Dan, my name is Heather I'm a pro photographer and have waited 30 years to be sure about having a bird of prey as a companion that I can keep along side my dogs. I do not wish to hunt. I do want to only ever own one bird and make sure it has my full attention. I'm now 53 and I finally think I'm ready for my dog with wings.. I'm going to try to spend this year getting ready for our adventure. I am terrified! It has to be said. Do you train people or can you suggest anyone who can. I'm based in Bolton but willing to travel to get this right. I have been through all the types of bird and did feel a owl would be best, but they do seem to get very attached to one person and I'm worries it may fret when I'm away , I'm away around 6 times a year for a week at a time. Due to the Harris being so good socially and such a clever versatile bird I'm likely to go for a male Harris. What are your thoughts. X
You need help mental help, get a parrot for Christ sake, a Hh will go mentally insane not hunting and being your “companion” people like you are why falconry is dying and likely to get banned in the future
How do you guys keep Harris Hawks in the winter?
Here in NY the temperatures drop way below freezing point when hunting season is open.
I think we have much milder conditions than you do in the states, either our Harris hawks are free lofted and tend to do with the winter temperatures fine, or if any of mine stay feathered they have a heater that turns on whenever the temperature drops below 7 degrees Celsius
My uncle started me with a Harris at 16 and my god I was scared.. I’m 33 now and I can’t wait to get back into falconry
Are falcons like lanner or peregrine good for new falconers
I read on the internet that lanner falcons are the best bird for rookie falconers.
Do you have any facts about them?
Can't wait to start falconry, I am going for a peregrine.
Would the climate of the area of your permission affect the birds that would be best to fly because different birds have different temperature ranges that they prefer and perform best in
Short answer yes. long answer it depends on the bird you’re looking to get and what climate your in.
Hey bro could you tell me how to look after a shikhra( hawk).
It can't fly it's a baby and what food should i feed it
I can't remember which video it was on but I saw you had puppies with your Merle border collies. Doubling up on Merle will cause blindness and/or deafness in offspring.
Only the Dad is a merle, the mum isn’t a merle and im not even sure she’s full border collie
How's EEOs as a first bird?
I have always wanted to get into falconry. At this current time, I do not have the facilities or hunting ground from them though. I have always considered either the red tailed hawk or great horned owl as the bird of choice as they are local animals. I personally do not agree with the idea of having non-native birds as they will either not be able to handle local weather or could become evasive if they escape. I imagine that the most likely hunting ground in my area would be lightly forested areas but I could find a more grassy area near me to hunt. My local area has both that are commonly used by hunters. The most likely prey would be rabbit and small to medium birds species commonly eaten by humans. I would only ever get into the sport for the purposes of hunting wild game for food. I am not a fan of sport hunting.
I believe that Harris Hawks are also local but are much less common in my area. I would be plenty happy hunting with one of those. Whichever bird I choose, I will likely only get one. There would be no starter bird followed by another bird. Means that it is very important that I do my research on both bird types and hunting ground types before making a decision.
I've been researching falconry, especially for a first bird and this has really helped. However, I'm still struggling to figure it out. I think I'd be suited to a falcon, since in my area there are lots of open fields, but I'm not sure what specific species. I know that kestrels and merlins are too small, and most others are better for experienced falconers. Do you think you could help me at all?
yes, i'm interested for someone to respond as well.
Trap a passage red-tailed hawk for your first bird. You won't be disappointed. If you have rabbits anywhere nearby, you'll be busy all season. If you want to fly falcons in the future, befriend some falconers who fly longwings and spend time in he field with them. The education you'll receive will be priceless. The commitment is huge, but you probably already know that. Good luck!
finall a new vid, you've been inactive for like 6 months
Check the channel, I made a short film called In the Passage Arena!
@@MercerFalconry ik but only uploading 1 or 2 vids in like a few moths is called inactive but it's good that ur back
I have loads planned for this winter so stay tuned! 😁
@@MercerFalconry ok
@@MercerFalconryI love who like owls ❤🦉
The area you can hunt in and the game you can hunt make the decision for you… most important is opportunity for the bird on regular bases.
Hi I'm from Brazil and I wanted to know how many times should I feed a hawk or falcon a day?
I fly all of mine once per day and they get all their food for the day during that flight
Hey would like to hear your opinion on the best falcon to get they're all amazing only problem is i live in shetland and i worry the bird could get to cold in the winter would this be a problem?
It depends on housing, if you free loft in an aviary the bird should be fine, and if tethered in a weathering then try to raise it to keep off the chill on the floor, you could also install a heater during the winter nights
@@MercerFalconry thank you im hoping to get a peragrin falcon as soon as i have a suitable place for it
Dumb question here :P Harris Hawk vs. Goshawk? (It's native to my area ((Flanders)) and loves to eat my chickens) Seeing the buzzards soar is amazing also.
Have you ever had a sparrowhawk,i heard there hard work to train.
Hello there! Im beggining falconry (because I've ways loved birds) and my favourite one is the owl. I want a social bird primarily for fun, and the video gave me the impression that owls are primarily for hunting. Is that true?
Yes. Owls aren't social and do not form deep affectionate bonds with their handlers unless under specific circumstances. Many people will get owls in the hopes that they are affectionate and then are disappointed because the bird does not show that, it takes a specific sort of mindset to appreciate an owl and so it is very much recommended to try other birds to help build that appreciation before taking on an owl
If you want a social bird go with parrots or corvids, which are way more difficult to keep than raptors.
Well what bird a newbie should get who is not hunting
a male canary, or a Sun Conure. not joking. those are amazing birds to have.
Hi Dan. What would be your opinion on owning and flying a red kite?
Not always easy to get hold of and you can’t hunt with them but I love them and think they are very fun to fly
@@MercerFalconry when the time is right for me to own a bird I'd love to get one as I'd prefer to fly them rather than hunt anyway
They are a great choice then 😁
5.16
Which bird is easy to weight control hawk, hawk or eagle?
No bird is ‘easy’
I plan on hunting rhinoceroses. What bird would be best for that?
A velociraptor.
If only
How about a saker falcon as the first bird?
I think Sakers make a great first bird
Was that a fox sneaking behind you?
Hi
what is the especies in 0:08 ???
kestrel
Did any one see the red fox in the back ground to the vivers left
i love owls
ok
In Colorado, apprentices can fly gyrfalcons! They are perhaps the most difficult species to deal with, yet in the infinite wisdom of the Game and Fish, they approved the species for use by complete beginners. You'd think they would have asked some practicing falconers what THEY thought about this issue, but, of course, falconers are not legitimate experts according to the bureaucrats making these rules.
BTW, the passage red-tail gets my vote for the first bird. Mine was an unreal hunter. 36 jackrabbits, 20 cotton tails, 2 pheasants, and 4 snakes in the first season. The snakes were accidental. Trap one in October if you're up to the challenge. They are easily tamed, even tempered, and capable of catching just about any quarry.
Can owls be used to hunt?
They can but it is very difficult
can you point me to a site that has books on falconry for free?
I’m not sure if there is a site that exists
Library genesis or your local library. The first is illegal.
is it ok to get a bird of prey because its cool?
if thats your only reason, i probably wouldnt. but if youre asking if its okay to get a license in falconry just for fun? then by all means, go ahead so long as you have the resources. :)
if you dont have the resources, however, you can definitely volunteer or work with wild bird rehabilitation centers.
keep in mind your bird's best interest.
Heck yeah
0:07 clock alarm🤣🤣
where can i get my first bird i looked it up but didn’t find nothing
Unfortunately the answer to that is if you don’t know where to get one from then you don’t have enough knowledge or experience to have one yet
@@MercerFalconry is there any books i can learn more about it
@ttvgg9413 yes, I have videos about how to get into falconry on the channel
No owls 😢
Harris Hawks are not a beginner bird ,they are so intelligent that they are always a few steps ahead of you! Also with a Harris you will not learn as much!8I would recommend a male red tail over a Harris,or a long wing like a Lanner falcon depending on the type of terrain you are going to be flying that bird on! Please dont get a Kestrel I have seen too many beginners either losing the birds or killing them due to improper weight management!
I started with a kookaburra. I don't think a lot of people start with a kookaburra 🙈
If you ever have extra feathers let me know
I wanna an owl bad
Now iam jealous
First
Second! 😂
This is cheating
Ok I choose the goshhawk sorry I meean buzzard
The Harris's Hawk is Para-budio not a Budio.
You have to be a harrishawk guy to choose them as the first bird, right? 😉
Birb
:29 agreed
never been on your channel before but i have experience with salt water aquaria and parrots. if you think there is a beginner anything then shove off; you are not worthy.
Sorry but keeping an owl isn't falconry, it's pet keeping.
Falconry is the pursuit of game with a trained raptor.
I accept your apology
And how do you hunt in the dark without an owl?
@@MrCmon113 spotlighting.
owls hunt
@@hammothw4814 lol there are only a hand full of falconers that have successfully hunted, and I don't mean a kill or two, I mean consistently hunted and been successful with owls.
The UBER VAST MAJORITY of owl keepers are nothing more than pet keepers. So please, stop with this crap.
So, you're mad that people call Harris hawks beginner falconry birds because they're good in every category?
No, I don’t like them being called a beginner bird because that’s all they are ever seen as and then few people unlock their full potential and most people think that after they have had one for a while they can just go and get something more ‘exciting’
I think calling Harris Hawks a beginner bird is an insult to their capabilities
@Mercer Falconry I really meant no disrespect friend, it's just how I interpreted it. Mind you, I'm no falconry expert, just from what I gathered in this video I just saw Harris Hawks as a good well rounded bird of prey. Thanks for your videos! I love learning more about these majestic animals
fadfda
Boring
Yeesh,I really hate how the English call soaring hawks buzzards. In the states a buzzard is a degrading term. Over buzzards are like maggots. We even use it as an insult for people that take advantage of others.