Source of Falconry Birds
There are in essence 3 sources of birds that may be used in Falconry. All 3 sources have particular “pros and cons”. It is our belief that all 3 sources are legitimate and acceptable and it is reasonable to require that that all three sources remain accessible to falconers. These would include:
1) Birds harvested from the wild.
2) Birds bred in captivity.
3) Birds obtained for rehabilitation.
In order to understand the rationale for this it is useful to consider a brief history of the art of Falconry. Falconry has existed for at least 4000 years and has its origins in the plains of central Eurasia. It is uncertain what birds were first used for falconry but it is reasonable to suggest that they were probably the Saker Falcon and the Northern Goshawk. Thus these birds have a very long history of domestication by man, almost as long as the hound and probably as long as the horse. A variety of other species have also been found to adapt readily to falconry conditions. Falconry is only possible because those species suitable for the practice accept domestication well and readily associate with man, seeing him as an asset to their hunting and they accept the association as long as there is profit in that relationship. Any falconer knows that when he cannot provide a hunting “edge” for the hawk, the relationship breaks down and the hawk is free to fend for itself.
So, falconry hawks must be seen as animals with a long history of domestication. They differ from other domestic animals in that they were not bred in any numbers, in captivity until captive breeding became a necessity due to the ravages of DDT in the late 1950s. This is not because the technology for captive breeding did not exist. Indeed the first historical record of captive breeding occurred in Japan in the 1500s and this was a Northern Goshawk, believed a difficult bird to breed. Not only was it not necessary to breed falconry birds in captivity prior to the latter part of the last century, but falconers have long realized that “Passage birds” are ideal candidates for falconry. Passage hawks are first year birds that have left their natal territory and are starting to fend for themselves. They have developed flying and hunting skills and yet are not set in their ways and readily adapt to falconry training. They have the additional advantage of being releasable at any point should they no longer be required by their falconer.
A good example of this practice in South Africa is the use of Passage Lanner Falcons. These birds are commonly hunting in the field with the falconer within 2 to 3 weeks of capture. They are readily releasable and are usually completely wild within 3 to 4 days of release. They are usually released after 1 to 2 seasons.
Never-the-less the advent of captive breeding has opened new doors for falconry, and, along with other technological advances such as the use of radio-telemetry, have issued in a new Golden Age of Falconry. The standards of Falconry, worldwide, have never been higher. Falconry is practiced by an estimated 60,000 to 100,000 falconers worldwide in well over 65 countries.
A Falconer must decide what the appropriate bird for him to fly is. This will depend, in part, on the Grading awarded to him by his Provincial Club. Falconers graded D to A may fly a range of birds within their grading category. Other considerations will also determine his choice of bird. These considerations must include the falconer’s character and personality, his financial resources, the type of terrain and quarry that he has access to, as well as his time availability, work and family commitments. Once the decision is made, he must make the appropriate preparations both mentally and practically in terms of preparing his mews and equipment, training a working gundog if needed, and ensuring that he has access to adequate hunting grounds. He must also determine the source of his bird and make the appropriate preparations to obtain the bird.
The concepts of Conservation, Animal welfare and Animal Husbandry are not new to Falconers. These are areas where we have a long history of involvement. Similarly we have a history of positive engagement with conservation authorities and conservation NGOs. The practice of Falconry is difficult, demanding and time-consuming. The standards achieved by the small number of South African falconers are exemplary and recognized internationally. South African falconers have a very reasonable expectation to have their Art supported and encouraged by Conservation Authorities, Conservation NGOs and Animal welfare NGOs
