Kestrel hovering

[Miguel]

I would like to know how do you guys train a kestrel to hover? I think we're getting a new kstrel, and I tought it would be cool to show that behaviour in our BOP show...
Any ideas?

[Miguel]

I forgot to tell you that, being the bird on the park were I work, they won't allow me to use any kind of live prey to train this (or any other) bird...

[Claire]

we have used a dummy mouse (cat toy)with a tit bit tied to it. feed the bird on it a few times so that the bird assosiates it with food, then when you are flying your bird , show the dummy mouse and as the kestral flies over hide it behind your back. the kestrel should hover to look for it, if you do get a hover reward the bird by throwing out the dummy mouse. this worked for us with one kestrel but not with another so it may work for you.

[Varmint]

Hi Atomik!

Kestrels are eally easy to get to Hover, and it doesnt matter how you train them, whether its flying to a lure or flying to the fist, they can be encouraged to hover by initially either hiding the lure or by hiding the fist at the last minute as they appraoch into the wind.

Normally, as they are denied their food target, they will throw uop into the wind just above you. From there its a case of trying to exstend the period they hover above you little by little each time, then obviously rewarding them on the spot.

The wind helps a lot in the early stages, but the Kestrel will get the hang of things very quickly and with fitness and routine you can have them follow you where ever you go hovering above you for 5 mins at a time

Take your time, keep it fun for both and enjoy the excersise:wink:

[Miguel]

I've tried to train one of our kestrels, and everytime I hided the glove she flew and perched on a tree... I had to give up the training. But now it seems we're getting a new kestrel so I'm thinking on trying with that one... Thanks guys, any more info is welcome!

[Bash]

Another way is to throw bits of food up above your head for her to catch in mid air as she passes over you. Keep doing it for a few days and don't worry if she doesn't hover at first as most will just circle around you. Once they stay in the air around you, hold the food up so they can see it but don't throw it. Hold it so she has to hover above you to get her reward. If she tries to land on your hand then put it in your pocket.

She should hover above you now to wait for her reward. Throw it up for her and each time she hovers above you only from then on.

Varmints way is the best though. I only do the above if it fails and have only ever had to do it once. If Varmints didn't work for you then I can almost assure you it was because of your use of the wind. Use of the wind is the most important part of all Falcon training. Give it a try again.

[HawkNorth]

my young boys kestrel hovered well starting the bird of with the lure
and high jumps away from trees and telegraph posts same as any other falcon with fitness he would hover then move to another section hover
doing this few times he was great to watch the key was bringing him on slowly i think its just bringing the natural out i all ways wondered when
i first started how long things took so im adding he was a fit we bird
in less than three months

[Miguel]

Ok, I'm going to try once again but this time with a new kestrel we're going to get in the future... The ones we have are very tricky and a bit lazy :) and they're already on the show... They're also imprinted, don't know if makes it easier... Hope I can get it, I've sucessfully trained falcons, eagles and vultures, but those little *******s are a pain in the a**...

[Varmint]

but those little *******s are a pain in the a**...

I wonder what they think of you?

[HawkNorth]

i am sure or they are not lazy for they would not survive in the wild

[Miguel]

The ones we have are lazy, because we let them be... They're our "babies", everyone just loves them!!
Varmint I'm sure they think the same about me... "here comes that guys asking me to fly again... Leave me here on my perch!!!" LOL

I didn't mean that in a bad way, I was trying to say that those are being difficult to train... Hope no one takes it the wrong way... :( :oops:

[HawkNorth]

they burn alot of energy hovering more than you would think big crops of good food

[Aman]

I trained one here in sa that also took to sitting ,all i did was start to walk and ignore the bird and before i knew it she began to follow me and hover, as soon as she did i rewarded her with the lure, from then on it was easy, good luck:D

[Stu Bailey]

Hill with an updraft...

Kes at the top,you at the bottom..

Wait till the kes is on its wasy,hide the food......

[David Rampling]

Train the young kestrel to come instantly to the fist, teach it to catch titbits in the air, then, preferably in an area of lift call to the fist, and when almost on the fist drop your hand and give it nowhere to land, it will hover for a second, flick a piece of food to it, repeat. The secret is to to reward the bird before it gets tired, and prolong the hovering period as the bird realises what you are after. Lift is vital early on, work the bird into what wind there is. If done correctly fine prolonged hovering can be achieved.

[Svato]

Another way is to throw bits of food up above your head for her to catch in mid air as she passes over you. Keep doing it for a few days and don't worry if she doesn't hover at first as most will just circle around you. Once they stay in the air around you, hold the food up so they can see it but don't throw it. Hold it so she has to hover above you to get her reward. If she tries to land on your hand then put it in your pocket.

She should hover above you now to wait for her reward. Throw it up for her and each time she hovers above you only from then on.

Varmints way is the best though. I only do the above if it fails and have only ever had to do it once. If Varmints didn't work for you then I can almost assure you it was because of your use of the wind. Use of the wind is the most important part of all Falcon training. Give it a try again.

I agree, if anything esle doesn´t work, Try this ! GL

[Pedro Af]

Hello Miguel

I think the best way to do it is to put a bell (or something that makes a different sound) on the lure you use with the kestrel! After he gets used to be feed on that lure with the bell and starts responding to it when he ears it, you just have to hide the lure for a moment and shake the lure for the bell to make the soud he is used to! He will hover if its a bit of wind to help him and if you don´t hide the lure for too long...you can work on that to increase the behaviour gradually!

Regards
Pedro

P.S - Experimenta que funciona (Abraço)!

[Illustrator]

I hid the lure and slowly walked back up wind as if training to wait on, the kestrel will start hovering naturally.

[Trigger]

I have tried all sorts with my Kes. If I move the target she just lands on my head. Throwing meat won't work either. I even tried her on live food (Locust) so she has to actually look for her food and that doesn't work either. She is now 4 and flies to the fist. What am I doing wrong? Do you think getting her higher up before we start would help? I really wanted to do this too but not having any luck.

[Pink_Eagle]

My little kes is a lure bird, and will hover stoop and go back upto hover stoop, but it all depends on the weather, if no wind she will just pass lure, but if a bit of wind she is a demon and puts in hovers, getting higher and higher

The way i trained my kes is everytime she put in a hover was to instantly put lure on the ground and so she got her reward, after a while to ask them to hover for longer or more than once

I supose some will hover naturally better than others