buzzards for beginners

[Puddle]

One if my mates has just got a buzzard on loan. He knows a bit about falconry. Which bop would you have has your first bird, would it be a buzzard to teach you the hard way and get frown it at the deep end or would you have gone for samething more easier.
any remarks:confused:

[StormRider]

A buzzard is not a bird really suited to falconry. It can be manned and trained to fly but they are generally scavengers. They will bind to rabbit but are not predominately hunters like the redtail or the harris. How long has your friend been flying birds? Out of interest, why was the bird loaned out? Has it been a problem bird for the previous owner?
Im not knocking or owt like that but just curious.
STU

[Roo]

I would still go for a buzzard for the first, I like them and one would (hopefully!) provide a challenge to train and to hunt well.

[Puddle]

A buzzard is not a bird really suited to falconry. It can be manned and trained to fly but they are generally scavengers. They will bind to rabbit but are not predominately hunters like the redtail or the harris. How long has your friend been flying birds? Out of interest, why was the bird loaned out? Has it been a problem bird for the previous owner?
Im not knocking or owt like that but just curious.
STU

This is his first bird he has flown
I dont know why it has been loaned out apart from it is a very old bird
thats all I know

[MattSpar]

A common buzzard is actually quite a good subject for a start. For one thing, they're quite tough, and can take the mistakes that the novice is bound to make. For another, they will take quarry IF you persevere. They are not in the same league as a harris', or redtail, but will take young rabbits, the occasional moorhen, and so on if you work hard with them..

[GoodFooter]

A common buzzard is actually quite a good subject for a start. For one thing, they're quite tough, and can take the mistakes that the novice is bound to make. For another, they will take quarry IF you persevere. They are not in the same league as a harris', or redtail, but will take young rabbits, the occasional moorhen, and so on if you work hard with them..
I have to agree!!! If you get a buzzard hunting well, I think you will learn alot of good falconry techniques along the way. They are more difficult to get hunting than harris's or RT which often seem to be the alternatives. So you learn about correct hunting weights, field craft, etc.... but most people would want to move on to a more able hunter and then what happens to the buzzard??? which is why I guess there not too popular!!!!! they're definately capable of catching adult rabbits.....but so are RTs and Harrises plus a whole lot more.

[ColdZero]

why would you suggest getting a CB then the person wanting to sell it on so they can be a falconer? Why not just start with a RT they are just as tough but not as useless

[GoodFooter]

why would you suggest getting a CB then the person wanting to sell it on so they can be a falconer? Why not just start with a RT they are just as tough but not as useless
I wouldnt nor did I.....and the end point albeit subtle was that RT and Harrises are better as you dont necessarily 'out grow' them. But many people in the old days when falconry was becoming more popular did learn with a buzzard(mainly due to cost and availability) and they are great begginers birds. but that was there down fall because you did want to move on.!!!
Were I back at the beginning I would go for a Harris for the reason it grow with you.... in ability,mentality and with good falconry techniques will surpass all expectations.

[DorsetAde]

Puddle

I think you would need to consider carefully how much time to can spend with the bird, either a CB or RT will need more patience and work than an HH that will learn quicker.

Ade

[Jiff]

The big question here is." what is to be achieved?" A bloke came to one of our meetings to try and get an insight into the sport/art of falconry. After a short conversation it was clear the man had no intention of hunting a bird.I explained that flying a bird of prey and falconry are different prsuits, he'd been advised in the past quite rightly that a harris' hawk was the bird for the begginer, NOW, had this man gone away and baught himself a harris' i'm sure he would have had the time of he's life flying the bird back and forth and from tree to tree as regular as a clockwork mouse, BUT would the bird be happy doing this, probably, after a period of brain washing. the point is a harris' is a confidant hunting bird which loves crashing through the undergroath to secure it's fleeing prey so it obviously aint the bird for the none hunting part of our friternity, on the same note if the man was expecting to hunt rabbits every day and baught a common buzzard he would be greatly dissopointed and soon give up even trying to understand the game.
point being"horses for courses" to hunt with a bird of prey a harris' or red tail is in my opinion a good starting point, if however you only want to fly abird of prey for fun a common buzzard fits the bill perfectly,........P.S. owls don't......for beginers anyway.

[Adam Barrett]

Nice post jiff-added to your rep :-)

[Pitbull]

Nice post jiff-added to your rep :-)

hint hint..:lol:

[Adam Barrett]

??????

[Brit-Gos]

If your planning to move on in falconry an RT is the bird to start with, it's a good capable hunter and can be awkward & moody. RT's will give a novice years of good experiences flying them. RT's are large robust birds that can withstand the inevitable cock-ups with weight control and make a more sensible bird to step from to a gos. Some falconers get complacent by flying HH and get one hell of a culture shock if they attempt a gos.

[Matty]

My first bird was a loaned HH, I flew her for
2 seasons. My second bird was a rescued
RT,I flew him for 1 season before he went
off for breeding. Both birds had their
problems but they taught me a great
deal.I then got my own HH with complete
confidence.I have flown her for 5 seasons
and wouldn't change her for the world
Tell your mate good luck, if he is serious
about falconry its great start
(it will also stop another new bird from
being F####D UP!!!)
thats my humble opinion anyway.