Full Description
Falconry is an ancient and noble art, still practiced today by falconers throughout the world. While, these days, falconry birds are mostly bred in captivity, they are still wild, independent animals and owning and training them requires the right commitment, knowledge and skills.
Falconry Basics is designed to provide those new to falconry with the essential information they need, including the basics of types of birds and their individual characteristics; acquiring the proper equipment; how best to care for and maintain healthy birds, and all aspects of training, flying and hunting.
Accompanied by diagrams and line drawings throughout, and with additional material, such as a glossary of falconry terms, this newly revised and updated edition offers a comprehensive, practical guide for a whole new generation of falconers.
Contents
Preface
Preface to the 2003 edition
A note on terminology
Introduction
PART 1: Getting started
1 Before you start
2 Falconry and the law
3 Hawks, hawking and falconry
4 First hawk
PART 2: Preparing for your first hawk
5 Hawk accommodation and furniture
6 Hawk furniture
7 Training equipment
8 Hawk food
9 Buying and handling a hawk
PART 3: Training and flying
10 Weight and condition
11 First steps
12 Up to free flight
13 Flying free
14 Other considerations
PART 4: Hawking for quarry
15 Vital homework
16 Entering and basic hunting
17 Hawking companions: dogs and ferrets
18 Notes on quarry
PART 5: Maintaining your hawk
19 Illness and injury
20 Beaks and talons
21 Feathers: moulting and repair
PART 6: Reference : A hawk's anatomy
IAF Guidelines for the General Welfare of Falconry Raptors
A falconry glossary
Checklist of equipment
Further reading
Useful contacts
Acknowledgements
About the authors
Index
