10 replies to this topic

[Photgog]

1000 frame per second video... I can't watch this enough

 http://www.dogwork.com/owfo8/

Fraser

[JimBob]

I think someone already posted this. I like it a lot.

[jblakelock]

Those claws at the end make me a little squeamish, but in the best possible way 

[spyonabird]

that is soooo cool!

[FarAwayEyes]

Very awesome!

[fergusonjlf]

OK... I hadn't seen this before - and it is incredible.

 Anyone know how this was done? Camera? Looks like they used some food to lure him - is that right?

 

JoAn (new to WhatBird forums!)

[ColoTomo]

JoAn,

You have heard of falconry before - the use of falcons to hunt cooperatively with humans.  It's a long subject, you can check out multiple places online for more general information on the subject.

The term "falconry" is often used to refer to use of any raptor trained by a human to hunt (not just falcons).  Red tailed hawks, Goshawks, Cooper's Hawks, and many more, for example.  A much less common type of falconry involves using OWL species.  The Eagle Owl is native to Europe, Russia & Asia, but has also been used in human falconry.  The original person who posted this video has links to a German website (http://hs-movies.de/) . 

Not much comment is available on this video, but you can tell by the jesses on the owl's legs that this is a trained bird.  The bird likely belongs to a falconer, and they've merely placed a special video camera (for taking high speed video) at a perch that this bird would normally use in its training (hence the 'bait'). (see here: http://en.wikipedia....esses_(falconry)

[illin]

I just want to add that many states still allow the capture of wild raptors for this purpose. Which to me is reprehensible. I know there was talk of suppressing the Gyrfalcon sighting in California this winter for fear of a falconer coming and trapping the bird.

[creeker]

Falconry is highly regulated in California. Falconers possess extreme knowledge of their birds and raptors in general. The license is very difficult to obtain. You have to pass an extensive test just to qualify for a license. You also have to allow DFG to inspect your premises and hawk house when you first apply, and whenever after at their will. If you are a newbie, you must first become an apprentice, and must have a sponsoring master falconer oversee what you are doing. An apprentice can only keep a Red-tailed Hawk or American Kestrel. To me, a young bird taken by a falconer is one less that would likely die in it's first year in the wild. You are not allowed to trap a Gyrfalcon in California. Here is a list of a raptors you can legally trap in California, if you have the proper aforementioned license.

C) Raptors Approved for Take From the Wild. (21.29 CFR)

Only the following raptors may be taken from the wild: Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) (also see Subsection (D) below), Cooper's hawk (A. cooperii), sharp-shinned hawk (A. striatus), red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), ferruginous hawk (B. regalis), merlin (Falco columbarius), American kestrel (F. sparverius), prairie falcon (F. mexicanus) and great homed owl (Bubo virginianus.)

Northern Goshawk has so many restrictions on where you can trap it that it's pretty much not going to happen in California. Nobody bothers with Sharpies, that I know of. Most would choose the larger and more powerful (and plentiful here) Cooper's. A lot of falconer's birds come from rehab facilities. They are birds that could not live on their own in the wild.

You pretty much have to dedicate your life to falconry in order to be successful at it. Most of the falconers I know are semi-retired and only work part time, and one is a college professor. The professor breeds Goshawks. A majority of falconry birds today are captive bred.

If you want to see the CADFG regulations on falconry, here's a link.....

http://www.calhawkin...id=60&Itemid=77

[Sinuous]

Wow!

That's amazing! 

[ColoTomo]

illin:

I just want to add that many states still allow the capture of wild raptors for this purpose. Which to me is reprehensible. I know there was talk of suppressing the Gyrfalcon sighting in California this winter for fear of a falconer coming and trapping the bird.

Interesting, although I'd compare that statement to saying "I didn't want to take my BMW out of the garage, didn't want to drive it or tell anyone I had it for fear of it being stolen". As Creeker pointed out, most falcon birds are from breeders, and wild capture is very highly regulated. Only certain birds are allowed, depending from where. Studies have proven that falconry has had no negative impact on raptor populations ... and in many cases a positive effect. Only young birds are allowed to be taken, an age where mortality rates are naturally high (70%). The birds are often flown for several years and returned later to breeding populations in the wild, where their "fitness" is then much higher