Training raptors (birds of prey) is a complex undertaking. Books containing hundreds of pages of information and advice by experienced falconers are still rudimentary at best. Many important details vary between individual raptors, species of raptors and between places and times. Unfortunately, without mentoring by an experienced falconer, raptors may be illegally taken and kept, and can be harmed by uneducated pseudo-falconers. Rather than attempt to train a raptor using only internet resources and books, it is wise to find experienced falconers and volunteer or apprentice with them.

Peregrine tiercel at a falconry display in England

Content

• Equipment
• Housing
• Diet
• Manning
• Relationship Between Falconer and Bird
• Wild Birds
• Imprinted and Non-Imprinted Captive Birds
• Training Hawks
• Telemetry
• Pitfalls

Suggested reading and sources

• "North American Falconry And Hunting Hawks" by Hal Webster and Frank Beebe
• Care And Management Of Captive Raptors, Arent & Martell, University of Minnesota's Raptor Center
• History of Falconry
• Understanding the Bird of Prey, Nick Fox, Hancock House ISBN 0-88839-317-2
• Falconry and Halking, Phillip Glasier, Bastford, ISBN 0-7134-8407-1