BBC Food Programme enquiry

[WTEN]

Dear IFF Members,

I am working on a new food programme for BBC2 and am researching the use of hawks and falcons to catch quarry. In particular wood pigeon. I was wondering whether anyone has/ or would have birds trained to hunt/catch them in the UK?

I have had some varied answers from people so far, so it would be great to get any information that people have to see if its an idea worth pursuing.

Many, many thanks

Ian

[ChrisGos]

Hello Ian,

In my experience wood pigeon are mainly caught by hawks/falcons in the UK by accident. The main reason being is that they (pigeon) will travel long distances and falconers would rather not follow for potentially miles to recover their falcons. Hope this helps. If your talking about rabbit or pheasants then as this is the mainstay of quarry in this Country you would not have a problem.

Regards ChrisGos

[Barry]

Hi Ian,

Just to fill in some information for you.

Wood pigeon is a fairly unusual target quarry for falconers flying falcons in the UK.

There are four main reasons.

1, As has been mentioned already, they fly long and hard and can draw the falcon a long way off from the falconer which brings obvious problems.

2, Feral pigeons carry a whole host of parasites and diseases, some of which are dangerous or potentially deadly to falcons. You can't teach your falcon the difference, so we avoid them to negate the risk.

3, Falconers relationships with pigeon racers/fanciers is at best *****ly. To avoid potential conflict, or risk the upset of harming someone elses bird, we, during a young falcons training, will actively discourage our falcons from chasing pigeons.

4, Pigeon shooting is a popular pass time and indeed part of many farms pest control activities. With pigeons taking your bird some way off, the risk of her going into pigeons which are feeding, having been themselves brough in by decoy birds is high. Your falcon could be the cause of the flush, that brings a shot intended to bring down a few pigeons, that actually brings your falcon to its death.

So you see, it is not a popular quarry for falcons in the UK.

Hope this helps
Barry

[Kaiser]

Hi Mate,
Glad you took my advise, if anyone is flying after Woodpigeon you will find then on here, altough I do think that most will repeat the previous response.
I hope you do find what you are looking for.
Keith
Forest Falconry