What Are Some Birds That Can Be Flown In Falconry?
Falconry has been used for centuries as a way to hunt. It's the art of using birds of prey in order to hunt for and catch food. It's not just falcons that can be flown, even though the name is falconry, it also includes eagles and hawks as well. Falconry is still done today. Some people do it for fun, but there are actually tribes in Mongolia that still use eagles in order to catch food to feed their families. Not everyone can fly a golden eagle like the Mongolian tribes do, though. Before you decide to buy a falcon, you should know what other birds are options. So, what are some kinds of birds that can be flown? It's important to note that in some species it is the female of the species that is flown because she is bigger and calmer.
Hawks
There are different kinds of hawks that can be flown. They can be broken down into two categories, broadwing hawks and short wing hawks, which might also be called true hawks. The broad wing hawk tends to be heavier bodied birds. They tend to depend on gravity in order to fall onto their prey from above. A broadwing hawk tends to have a short tail and long wings that are rather broad. Many beginners start out with broadwing hawks, particularly red tail hawks. The red tail hawk is a common hawk in North America and is rather forgiving to the novice falconer. The short wing hawks have a longer tail with shorter wings. They tend to not soar the way that broadwing hawks do, but they do glide. These hawks tend to be pretty quick off the mark and tend to be ambush hunters. Examples of the short wing hawk include a goshawk and Cooper's hawk.
Falcons
Falcons are often used in falconry, especially as one becomes more familiar with the art. Kestrels are often suggested for a person who is starting to fly falcons. However, they do have to be careful because kestrels are relatively small and light, which means that people who aren't familiar with them can hurt the birds on accident. Really experienced falconers will fly peregrines, which are the fastest animal on Earth. Their dives can reach over 200MPH. Falcons have a long, pointed wing and a long tail. They have a unique beak in that it has a notch on it that will let the bird easily break the spine of the prey they have caught.
Falconry is an exciting way to hunt and can be an interesting hobby. There are all kinds of birds that can be flown by falconers.