Sparrowhawk vs. Harris Hawk

[GoshawkRST]

The Tiercel Harris

Hello everybods,
I have some questions for you, also I apreciate any advices from you.

I live in an relative closed area, almost imposible to fly a longwing. I have started
falconry with a kestrel (european), train him to take quail (bagged quail), both from
the fist and by waiting on. Yet, I never caught any wild quarry with this kestrel.
Only bagged quail, never missed, it was a killing machine. Also tooke 2 bagged pigeons.

I have shelled the bird to a breeder, now it's use it to breed with his female.

Next, I've tryed with a male saker falcon. Everything was awesom. The bird was flying very well
from the fist. Then, with some time, the bird starts waiting on, wich I want to AVOID at all costs!!!
I don't like waiting on styles, I want a bird hunting from the fist. Anyhow, the saker was hunting bagged
pigeons from the fist. After a while, he strarted waiting on. I have selled the bird, because I almost lost
it after a pigeon, flew out of sight, high in the ski, to catch the pigeon. God I hate waitin on styles!

Anyhow, now I have some doubts, and I really apreciate some advices form you guys.
Well, this is it:

I want a bird (not a falcon!!!!!) to hunt form the fist. It's EXTREAMLY dificult for me
to chose, betwen these two birds: a female european sparrowhawk (accipite nisus) or a small
male harris hawk (parabuteo unicinctus). I am not sure....

I have the following quarrys aveable: seagulls (large ones and small ones), pigeons, magpies,
some rabbits, sparrows, squirrels, lots of small birds, blackbirds, doves .... and so on....

The sparrowhawk - i like it how it hunts. extreamly fast little bird, i find quarry everywhere for
him, small enought to be keept in my appartment. But first, i like it because of his fast flyght, I am
sure I will not lose him, because he will not wait on, above me. Also, the area for a sparrowhawk is perfect.
I want to imprint him by the recipe.

Negative aspects - it is not easy to train and to keep..... you know how is the methabolism on this little bird...

The harris hawk - i like it because of his sociable temperament. I always wanted to try a harris, because it's just wonderfull.
I am not sure how it will be doing in an small appartment (i guess will mess everithing, and it's worst during the molt).
Also, i don't know how it is, HUNTING. I don't need a bird to wait on. I am not sure if it is capable to
hunt a pigeon from the fist...some peoples around here are saying he is not fast enought to catch a pigeon from the fist...
Others say that is avesome... I see harris hawks flying, and it seems to me that they are slow, those flying tipes
tipicals to buteos...

Well, what do you all say??????

[Shaun Byrne]

I'd say if you are going to keep a bird in your apartment and dont want s**t everywhere, get a budgie!! lol!!

[Finnish]

or a parrot :lol:

[IAmTheWeasel]

slip it on bagged peanuts..... :lol:

[Finnish]

Make sure there plain and not salted :lol:

[Sparrow Hawker]

Hi GoshawkRST,

If you want a bird that you can fly nearly anyway and something that will provide you with good sport. In my opinion I would say a spar would be ideal, it sounds like you have plenty of quarrry species to aim for which a spar has the capabilities in taking i.e. blackbirds, magpies etc. I'm thinking of flying one myself within the next couple of years fantatsic birds.

I think its good that your looking at the quarry you have available and matching up the best bird that suits the quarry and requirements you have.

All The Best,

HH

[Shaun Byrne]

Would you even recommend keeping one indoors in a small apartment HH??
How about looking at the birds accomodation as well as quarry to be hunted??

[BrianM]

meethinks this is a wind up ,,,,,,,,,,,,no?

[Gary Timbrell]

I kept several spars in bedsits when I was a student. They shat everywhere and the room stank, but they were brilliant and ideal for hunting in close country, like allotments and industrial estates. The difference between the hunting styles of a spar and a harris - you fly the spar, but the harris flies you.

Gary.

[Sparrow Hawker]

Valid point H4wka,

I was merely suggesting an opinion in relation to the quarry the member had which bird to choose. To be honest I didn't read or take into account the accomodation etc :oops: .

There's one or two members who have or keep there birds indoors it is not ideal but it doesn't mean that a bird kept outside is going to be looked after any better. So long as the well being of the bird is taken into account thats the main priority.

I'm not endorsing it just merely making an observation that's all.

All The Best,

HH

[Debbie]

meethinks this is a wind up ,,,,,,,,,,,,no?

No Brian its not :wink:

Debbs xxx

[Debbie]

Okay everyone just being devils advocate here now.

Whats the difference between a mew and an apartment? as long as the bird can move 360 degrees with its wings spread out.

Both have pro's and cons. Millions of birds are kept inside and many parrots are much more delicate than most raptors.

Remember also that this member is in a hot climate so his apartment is probably cooler than a mew outside would be.

Inside aviary/housing would be safer and be less prone to disease elements from biological matter as well etc

Pro's and cons

Debbs

[Shaun Byrne]

I wouldn't say keeping a bird in its mews all day is a good idea either! Parrots are generally from warmer climates and, if I'm correct, dont like our British weather too much. Thats apart from the fact that a parrot would be seen as far easier game for a cat or even crows.
BOP need to be out in the open, in fresh air for a good part of the day, to feel the wind under their wings and be able to take in the sights of their surroundings. I dont doubt that GoshawkRST is a competeant falconer but if he works for a living this means his bird will be indoors for probably 20hrs a day. This is not good, especially for a highly strung Spar. When would a bird kept indoors moult?
Each to their own but in my eyes a mews is for keeping your bird safe at night until its light enough to go back out to weather.

[Gary Timbrell]

This comes down down to fundamentals: there is little to choose between the person who keeps his hawk in an apartment all day and the person who has a mews in the garden and does the same. The important part is the hawk should be hunted daily and then either option is good. But from a manning point of view the apartment guy is better, especially if he takes the spar to work with him as well and spends all day with it.

Gary

[ColdZero]

i don't think keeping indoors is so bad, it would get so much more interaction with humans. But it needs fresh hair to and my hawk never got bored of the songbirds flying around.
Personally i would go for the harris if theres many rabbits and squirrels, it would probably cope better with being indoors too. However the spar may suit you better if you are keen on hunting birds.

please give more details of the accomodation for the hawk.

[Ferret55]

I don't know about co-habitating with a hawk indoors. Bird of prey poop... stinks. A hawk mutes horizontally, whereas a falcon mutes downward, which saves wear and tear on the (human) furniture. In a small appartment, you will be scraping s**t off the walls.