FOR THE BIRDS
Considering the troubles we seem to be having in some areas concerning the use of firearms, a once prominent style of hunting – that done with birds – may be revived..
Falconry is far from dead. It has merely been lost in the background for a century or so. It was, at one time,was a major form of hunting. In fact falconry was at a such a peak of in the 1200's's that social standing was judged by the type of birds a person kept to do is hunting for him
It is thought to have started around 680 BC in China, although some disagreement challenges that starting site in favor of a site a thousand miles to the west. Man discovered the natural hunter in the skies could be trained to do his thing for him, and, in time, he became dependent on the hawk types of birds to keep him provided with small game- birds such as ducks , geese and others. The birds to be trained were netted as adults or hatched from eggs and trained to hunt down prey, hold it or bring it to the human hunter than go to his or her perch o be fed as a reward for a job well done. The job of training such a hunting bird took many hours of special, patient care, as you may imagine, and continues to this day in keeping the sport active.
Frederick II was the King of more countries than he could shake a scepter at. A gifted linguist he spoke in the language of his choice and he always spoke well of hawks and kept the breed which was judged to be socially proper for his rank and constant use. He wrote a book or two on Falconry which survived for several centuries as authority on the subject. You still find his words quoted in modern falconry literature.
The Peregrine falcon is the one most frequently met with in the United States and we have all heard how the improper use of DDT harmed the bird until there was fear of its being driven from the area. It is back again and any hunter who wishes may train a peregrine or some other hawk variety to do his no-gun hunting if one has neighbors or busybodies who object to the bang-bang types of hunting. Frederick II was knowledgeable about many existing types of falconry and spent time and studied at serious depths in Sicily (where he was also King) and throughout the Arabic nations as well He spoke seven languages, it is said, and and used to enjoy talking with foreign sailors along the wharfs abut the use of falcon in their homelands.
Usually the training of the birds is left to people who do so professionally and then, they, in turn,hand the trained hawk over to someone who can learn to handle and manage the bird with a few hawk-driving lessons and field experience.. The bird is trained not to rend the prey or mark it in any way. Usually it is content simply to kill the bird or small animal as it pounces upon them and sets ts long claws in the flesh of the victim. It flutter to the ground and holds the prey until the hunter can assume possession of his kill.
Falconry devotees are lavish in their praise of the satisfaction a hunter gets on seeing his bird capture prey, be it another bird in flight , or a dive from above to hit prey on the ground. No one has yet told me how the bird knows what the prey is to be - a bird, a lamb , rabbit or what.. Maybe its a matter of the hunter accepting, gratefully, whatever food the falcon supplies for his table.
Even if you are not interested in becoming a falconry hunter, the idea of training birds to be your hand afar suggests a fascinating hobby or avocation.
I don't know anyone who has a hobby of that nature, but it beats stamp collecting or gathering cookie jars, cracked crocks, or knitted antimacassars. Instead, why not make your New Year one for the birds? That allows you plenty of time. It takes about thirty-three days for falcon eggs to hatch, after you find them.
A..L.M. October 1, 2004 [c728wds]
