Starter bird

[jordkil]

I quite fancy starting falconry and I'm asking if anyone can give me any idea of a starter bird and a rough price. I live in Aberdeen in Scotland.

[RedNoseK9]

get your profile filled right in and advice will flood in

[RedNoseK9]

i would say you need to research the sport and the birds for a long time then you shall know the best bird to start with the one that suits you ,the terrain you will fly,the quarry you will take,the time you can put in etc...
cant say 1 bird mate it may be a falcon,a redtail, a harris you need to be honest as to what will suit you.
keep posting mate and were all here to help

[Dean]

I quite fancy starting falconry and I'm asking if anyone can give me any idea of a starter bird and a rough price. I live in Aberdeen in Scotland.
Just outta interest,Why do you quite fancy falconry?

[OutFlying]

homing pigeon.

[Matthew Patching]

there should be no quite fancy about it, you either do or you dont!its abit like saying I quite fancy somthing to eat, get lost im either hungry or im not. there is no in between with this passion.

[AndyUK]

ok ladies and gents be nice

the guy isnt being rude he may have jumped the gun a bit

so lets help and educate rather than get into a shouting match

welcome to the forum by the way



Andy............

[LongVVing]

I quite fancy starting falconry and I'm asking if anyone can give me any idea of a starter bird and a rough price. I live in Aberdeen in Scotland.

Hi,

If you are completely new I would suggest finding a local club or experienced falconer to help advise you. If not people here could advise some reading material as a start. There is a Falconry book by Emma Ford which sells around the £12 mark which I have found to be useful as a basic guide/start point.

You should then atleast get an idea of whats needed and what bird is best suited to the flying ground and quarry available.

I started with a European buzzard (that was 20 yrs ago) but I'd imagine most start with a harris hawk nowadays, they are easier trained and more versatile in terms of what quarry they can be flown at.

Good luck,

Mark

[Dave G]

hi jordkil what you need is very good knowledge and understanding to train and keep any hawk or b.o.p ,this comes to those who are willing to wait and read lots of books and join a local falconry club to gain the correct information and get hands on experience which the members of any falconry club will offer you ?? days out hunting with hawks ?, then theres the equipment the birds mews (housing) telemetry,gloves,hawking bag,bow perches,hawk baths,carry box,bells,swivels etc etc all cost money and alot too ?, then theres suitable hunting ground with the reqiured quarry you want to hunt, then have you the time to fly a hawk or b.o.p and give it the time it requires to get fit and hunting as weekends only is no good ???, and last but not least plz make sure your partner is 100% behind you or doesnt realy bother being with you as you will spend a hell of alot of time tending to the bird or out hunting ?? if this is all ok with you m8 join a club and good look i wish you all the best cheers dave

[MickeyDredd]

If you fancy an owl Jester is just up the road, you could pm him.

[jordkil]

I do want to start falconry. I've read alot about it and I have done before as a holiday. There used to be a falconer that lived down the road, but he moved to the west of Scotland to find more room. I'm onmly a teenager so I live with my family and they are happy for me to get into something that I enjoy (because I don't like footbal and that junk cause I don't like working in a team with lots of folk). I'm going to get the book you suggested. I'm going up to Inverness for a holiday next week and there is a falconary club on the way I'll speak to the people there and see what they suggest.
Thanks
J

[Dave G]

hope your parents have got lots of money to throw ur way m8 as you will need it ??

[AndyUK]

If you fancy an owl Jester is just up the road, you could pm him.


well the anger management tour was a sucsess when does the sarcasam manangment begin :lol: :lol: :lol:




Andy......

[MickeyDredd]

well the anger management tour was a sucsess when does the sarcasam manangment begin :lol: :lol: :lol:
Andy......

You have obviously misinterpreted the emphasis of my post - but then you think I'm usual and suspect :rolleyes:

If I was being sarcastic there would have been suitable smilies attached, as in your post.

I dont know any falconers in that area, only an owler.

[AmateurAustringer]

hope your parents have got lots of money to throw ur way m8 as you will need it ??

Yes, of course, hard cash is all you need to be a Falconer? :roll:

[AndyUK]

You have obviously misinterpreted the emphasis of my post - but then you think I'm usual and suspect :rolleyes:

If I was being sarcastic there would have been suitable smilies attached, as in your post.

I dont know any falconers in that area, only an owler.



my sincerest apologies must be geting jaded in my old age :lol:




Andy.......

[MickeyDredd]

my sincerest apologies must be geting jaded in my old age :lol:
Andy.......

You've obviously been away too long and not realised what an upstanding chap I've become! ;)

nb note the sarcastic smilie ;) :lol:

[Scooter]

i no you are young but my only addvice is what ever people say or what you read try and get your self a bird that is very young as there is a lot ov people trying to sell older birds and for you that is not the way to go find the bird you want dont buy it come back and we will try to help you with the rest good luck mate .........scooter...........






all ways (own have or have )2 sets ov scales.and good hawking

[Dave G]

Yes, of course, hard cash is all you need to be a Falconer? :roll:
yes im well aware its not all about money im just trying to put things in a way that he will understand ,and tell you what m8 you spend a bloody lot of it when you first start out ?????

[AmateurAustringer]

yes im well aware its not all about money im just trying to put things in a way that he will understand ,and tell you what m8 you spend a bloody lot of it when you first start out ?????

Sorry I was a bit snappy there, its not cheap to gather your equipment and a hawk, but if the lad wants to do it, has falconry gear for christmas and birthdays for a few years whilst he prepares, he doesnt need 'rich' parents to do it.

[buzzbee]

I quite fancy starting falconry and I'm asking if anyone can give me any idea of a starter bird and a rough price. I live in Aberdeen in Scotland.

Seem as no-0nes answered your question. If you have the money, time, patience and some knowledge get a Common Buzzard or a Male Harris Hawk.
Hope this helps
loz

[Dave G]

i wish you all the best m8 and truely hope that you get to own a b.o.p and you have many years ahead flying a bird ? but please think hard and dont rush into it good luck dave

[jordkil]

I was at a falconry centre and the guy sed the best to start out with is a harris hawk ( as u all sed) a red tail buzzard or if i would like an owl a barn owl would be good.

[buzzbee]

I was at a falconry centre and the guy sed the best to start out with is a harris hawk ( as u all sed) a red tail buzzard or if i would like an owl a barn owl would be good.

Two things one where are you? Two a RedTail?

[MickeyDredd]

I quite fancy starting falconry and I'm asking if anyone can give me any idea of a starter bird and a rough price. I live in Aberdeen in Scotland.

Does this help?

And why not a RT? Better option than a CB I'd say.

[OutFlying]

Why not a redtail Buzzbee ?

They are a hardy hawk that can withstand a novice handling mistakes and also teach you a lot about hawk management.

Your first hawk doesn't have to be easy to train but one that teaches you a lot about falconry.

He will learn more from a redtail than a harris hawk.


Jim.

[buzzbee]

Does this help?

And why not a RT? Better option than a CB I'd say.

Im under the impression that reds can be agressive and are harder to train especaiallyfor a begginer?

[MickeyDredd]

Im under the impression that reds can be agressive and are harder to train especaiallyfor a begginer?

Have you ever trained a CB? :lol:

So long as you have the requisite practical experience before taking on your first hawk then there is no reason not to take on a RT.

How easy do you want the sport to be?

[AndyUK]

Why not a redtail Buzzbee ?

They are a hardy hawk that can withstand a novice handling mistakes and also teach you a lot about hawk management.

Your first hawk doesn't have to be easy to train but one that teaches you a lot about falconry.

He will learn more from a redtail than a harris hawk.


Jim.

as jim says there buzbie they will teach you more than a harris

the reds less forgiving takes more maning amd genraly more effort than the harris both are great birds when done right the diffrence is that a harris can be done badly and youll get away with it do the red badly and itll either bury a foot in your hand or sit in a tree for a few days looking at you like somthing its s****ed off its shoe


Andy........

[GregMik]

Two things one where are you? Two a RedTail?


Most everybody in the US starts with a RedTailed Hawk.

Greg

[jordkil]

He did say a red tail would be less forgiving. Coz he sed if u start off with a harris hawk they will let u stroke their feet etc and if u tried that with a red tail he'd '' have u'' ot about a barn owl

[buzzbee]

Most everybody in the US starts with a RedTailed Hawk.

Greg

Yes i know that. I didnt see where he was though?

[buzzbee]

He did say a red tail would be less forgiving. Coz he sed if u start off with a harris hawk they will let u stroke their feet etc and if u tried that with a red tail he'd '' have u'' wot about a barn owl

He speaks sense, although you can get nice mannered reds. Barn owls good but weight control can be difficult for something that small.

[Redeye]

Barn owls good but weight control can be difficult for something that small.

Sorry, what exactly is a barn owl good for? He said he wanted to start out in FALCONRY. I have nothing against owl keepers just as I dont Parrot keepers, but neither of these is falconry.

As others have said a RT especially up there in chilly scotland, a MHH might be just a bit sensitive especially on freezing nights to a beginners weight control.

[buzzbee]

Sorry, what exactly is a barn owl good for? He said he wanted to start out in FALCONRY. I have nothing against owl keepers just as I dont Parrot keepers, but neither of these is falconry.

As others have said a RT especially up there in chilly scotland, a MHH might be just a bit sensitive especially on freezing nights to a beginners weight control.

:roll: You can alot of enjoyment through flying Barns and i guess it depends what catogory you put flying owls under.

[Redeye]

:roll: You can alot of enjoyment through flying Barns and i guess it depends what catogory you put flying owls under.

Perhaps you could check the definition of falconry and let me know of anyone who can achieve it with a barn owl.

As to a lot of fun ..i'm sure for most it wears off pretty quick. My opinion obviously but it is irresponsible to encourage beginners down this route as likely the bird will be surplus after a season at most. Did you know B Oowls are worth more for taxidermy than live birds?

[buzzbee]

Perhaps you could check the definition of falconry and let me know of anyone who can achieve it with a barn owl.

As to a lot of fun ..i'm sure for most it wears off pretty quick. My opinion obviously but it is irresponsible to encourage beginners down this route as likely the bird will be surplus after a season at most. Did you know B Oowls are worth more for taxidermy than live birds?

Ive been flying barns for 9months and i aint bored yet;-) I wasnt trying to encourage him but if he only wanted to start with an owl???????? And no i didnt know that and frankly i prefer them alive.

[jordkil]

How much would a harris hawk roughly cost and were can I get one.

[FlameHairedFalconer]

Harris hawks cost in the region of £250 for males and £450 plus for Females.

If you fill in your profile (got to User CP in the top left hand corner of the screen) to say where you are, you should be able to get more help and advice.

FHF

[Redeye]

How much would a harris hawk roughly cost and were can I get one.
Get yourself on a good course and all will become clearer. For starters i'd budget about a grandish for initial start up costs.

[jordkil]

wot falcons hawks etc r good to start with and r relitivly cheap.

[Afshimo]

gyr falcons are very cheap of course, if all you care about is the price of a bird then you havn't even weighed up the price for equipment and mews etc. If you want to buy a cheap bird you'll skimp on the equipment too and that' bound to cause accident's.

Choose a bird that will suit the land you fly on not the amount in you're pocket.

Falcon's are better in open country, most people start with a Lanner, some saker's or the hybrids like pere/saker and gyr/saker.

Buzzards can be flown out of tree's so you have a choise of the red tail and harris and if you have lots of patiance and a common buzzard isnt out of the Q's.

[MickeyDredd]

Jordan

Here's a link to a previous thread on the subject!

http://www.falconryforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=15802

[FlameHairedFalconer]

wot falcons hawks etc r good to start with and r relitivly cheap.

Your start in falconry should not be dictated by what is cheap.

Not only do you have the cost of the hawk, you have housing, food, furniture, perching and telemetry to consider. Telemetry alone will cost around £400.

As previously stated, find yourself a mentor, or join a club as a junior member (depending on your age, one of your parents may have to supervise you and join themselves) Find out a bit more about what falconry entails, and let your parents know what they are letting themselves in for. Including the fact that they will probably be left holding the hawk when you are doing exams or go off to Uni.

FHF

[Jiff]

jordkil, i hear you mate, i was the same, i always had an interest in falconry,ever since i got into field sports 30 years ago, back then it was for other people only, not me, however many years on i decided to go for it, it can be very expensive to get started, heres what i did, once i was 100% commited and i mean i'd scrutinised every thing, no hollidays without profesional care for the bird ect, then i decided on a harris hawk,and no matter what anyone says the first thing i had to do is find out how much i would be expected to pay for one, i found this to be between 300 and 400 pounds as i wanted a female, with this in mind i trawled the internet for a couple of months and got as much info on the harriss' hawk as possible, i also found a local club and met some local people, in all i spent just over twelve months learning, in this time i baught the equipment required, a bit at a time, i baught wood in small quantities and stored it, till i had enough to build my avery, by far the most expensive thing so far for me, and i put a few quid a week away to pay for my bird come the time, i don't earn pots of cash and couldnt realy afford a big outlay all at once, so i spread the cost while i learned the ins and outs of hunting a harriss' hawk.
best wishes mate

jiff

[North East Harris Hawker]

hi jordkil, a fair question i think for someone new to the scene,
falcons can be picked up quite cheaply but generally speaking its getting access to the right ground for them that costs. hawks on the other hand can be flown just about anywhere, the flights from them are not quite as spectacular, but that does not mean that they wont take your breath away every now and then.
remember.
the bird is the last thing to buy when getting into falconry,
the bird needs
somewhere to live,
something to stand on,
something to secure her safely so she cannot fly away,
somewhere to bathe,
something to eat,
somewhere for its food to be stored.
it also needs
ACCURATE scales to be weighed on (kitchen spring scales will NOT suffice)
a box to be ferried around in,
a glove to stand on,
bells fitted so that she can be located once flying,
anklets and jesses so that she can be handled,
.
remember, birds are not the same as cats and dogs, they need to be looked after by someone who knows what they are doing should you want to go away on holiday.
.
these are some of the important things that need to be considered BEFORE buying a bird.

[buzzbee]

Sound advice Nehh:supz:
Your looking at a decent amount to start falconry and need to think on everything seriously before you decide on what bird you want to fly.

[jordkil]

thanks for all your help. This forum is great I get replies straightaway i don't have to wait for months lol. I'll get back to yous once I've decided.

[Matt_Redtail]

What bird? - What do you want to fly/have appropriate land to fly, eventually?
Whats the point in buying a Red or HH if you really want to fly long wings?

What happens to all these HH after their owners decide they really wanted a long wing or Gos etc.

It really depends on how quickly you want to get a bird......Join a club and go out with some of the falconers to see whats involved in flying and managing the hawks.

Just my opinion of course....

[MickeyDredd]

It really depends on how quickly you want to get a bird......Join a club and go out with some of the falconers to see whats involved in flying and managing the hawks.

Just my opinion of course....

Matt

He has tried to contact other falconers but not too many in his neck of the woods, hopefully he will find someone.

[Jester]

Your start in falconry should not be dictated by what is cheap.

FHF

i doubt he really meant much by that bit



if he is a true Aberdonian that is just an automatic reaction looking for the cheapest :lol: :lol: :-P :-P

[jordkil]

Itz not my fault i go 4 da cheapest. I'm only like bloody 14 i can't just dip my hand inmy pocket pull out like a grand lol. yah born n bred aberdeen.
P.S Iur video pic thing is well like cool.

[NGuruve]

hey there lil man im 18 and only just got the money and knowledge that im happy with to get a hawk to a certian extent u need to do it on your own and do what you feel u are capable of etc... and listen to as many diffrent opinions as possible cause lots of people will tell u that a redtail is lazy and aggressive and all this rubbish and many other bad stuff about many birds u need to decide for yourself and dedicate alot of time to it belive me it rules ure life once u started i cant do anything with out thinking about the bird first now but im fine with that will u be?

only time will tell but i say go for it and a red tail is just as gd as a harris trust me i dont care what anyone else says there aggression on prey and there bravery is good enough for me :supz:

[Barbary Boy]

Hi,

If you are completely new I would suggest finding a local club or experienced falconer to help advise you. If not people here could advise some reading material as a start. There is a Falconry book by Emma Ford which sells around the £12 mark which I have found to be useful as a basic guide/start point.

You should then atleast get an idea of whats needed and what bird is best suited to the flying ground and quarry available.

I started with a European buzzard (that was 20 yrs ago) but I'd imagine most start with a harris hawk nowadays, they are easier trained and more versatile in terms of what quarry they can be flown at.

Good luck,

Mark
emma ford? why for gods sake? she was 16 yrs old when she wrote it? there are loads of good books available now!

[Redeye]

emma ford? why for gods sake? she was 16 yrs old when she wrote it? there are loads of good books available now!

I dont think there is anything wrong with that book as a basic beginners guide. imho better than jpj's alternative.
Is there anything that is incorrect in it or superceeded?

[MickeyDredd]

emma ford? why for gods sake? she was 16 yrs old when she wrote it? there are loads of good books available now!

I think he meant a more recent one than that :rolleyes:

[jordkil]

Yeah I found that book on amazon so I'll buy that. Where might I be able to buy a redtail buzzard because I plan to get one of them (probz a male). And the price, what age?, size of aviary what type of wood and (finally) what equiptment do I need for one?

[Jackson]

youll need to find a breeder. ask Nguruve for more details i think he has just got a rt! and im sure on here is he's threa/diary fo it! equipment. to start with your need the basics -jesses, leash, swivel, glove, first aid, lure?, bow perch?, creance, anklets, carrier, land, mentor? or people around you with some experinace is always useful, coping tools, water bowl, food source, contacts - local centres, vets, falconers, and so the list goes on :rolleyes:
but Nguruve and Tasha both as far as i know have rts and im sure will be happy to help you!

[JFSeaman]

I can't say what I want to.

[OutFlying]

I can't say what I want to.


PUT UP OR SHUT UP ;)

[Bert]

Itz not my fault i go 4 da cheapest. I'm only like bloody 14 i can't just dip my hand inmy pocket pull out like a grand lol. yah born n bred aberdeen.
P.S Iur video pic thing is well like cool.

Is it really wise to get a bird at this moment in time? you are still only 14 and unless your parents are going to financially help you, how will you afford to care for it? have you even asked your parents yet? im sure their going to be well chuffed when you start knocking up an aviary on your moms prized daffodils! lol

do some research and gain experience before buying into such a big commitment, then in the near future go for it. hopefully by then you'll know if you've got it in the blood! thats what im doing anyway.


As for buzbee n his barn owl, true comedian! :P

[jordkil]

I'm just going to wait until I'm older and I have done uni or college coz I will have more time and I won't be studying and I'll beable to look after the bird. Thanks for all of your help.
Jordkil

[Grey_Squirrel_Hawker]

As for buzbee n his barn owl, true comedian!

totaly! was ****in myself!:supz: :lol: :supz: :lol:

i think the general concensus mate would be to get a mentor, get books, dvds, join a club go to field meets and gain as much experiance, handeling and workin wi birds as you can, if their is a falconry centre neer you, try and get a volunteer job, you will gain great experiance doing that!
dont get a bird now, your only 14, who knows what paths your life will lead you in the next few years, a harris or redtail can live 20 years, so its not something to take on lightly.
all the best!

[jordkil]

Thanks and I keep reptiles and amphibians that live for 20 years plus. Can I actually get a volunteer job at my age ( I'll be 15 at da start of next year) the closest falconry centre to me is the huntly falconry centre.

[Jackson]

Thanks and I keep reptiles and amphibians that live for 20 years plus. Can I actually get a volunteer job at my age ( I'll be 15 at da start of next year) the closest falconry centre to me is the huntly falconry centre.

should be able to!!! best option in my opinion!! worth trying to get a volunteer job at the centre!! im sure youl learn loads from it (not just about bops and falconry so thats a bonus)!! just beacsue you dont have a bop doesnt mean you cant get into falconry! you have the forum, centres, shows to go to, the falconry fairs (next year), clubs, and im sure theres someone near you who will take you out hawking this season if you ask nicely! take this time to learn loads so when you do get a bird youll be confident enought to look afetr one and you ll do it more justice!!!

[Grey_Squirrel_Hawker]

I keep reptiles and amphibians that live for 20 years plus.

not the same as a bop mate, with reptiles and amphibians, you dont need to handel them and dont need to exercise them in the way a bop has to be. its a completely different sort of commitment.

you should be able to volunteer at your age, of course, the owners of the centre may be unsure for insurance reasons, but u can but try.

[jordkil]

u do need 2 handle reptiles but nt as much as bops

[GregMik]

Jordan,
From your replies I would say that you need to do a little more reading before you jump into a bird. Then you should find a falconer close to you that you can go out hunting with. I hope you do realise that Falconry is hunting with a BOP, not just keeping a BOP. So you are going to have to go around and ask for permission before you get a bird so you have a place to hunt.

Greg