Left/right handedness in raptors

[Bubo]

i have often observed kadabra and just wondered if owls or any raptors could be left/right handed (footed or whatever) from what i have noted kadabra uses one foot more than the other. 80% of the time he will grab food or toys after making impact with his left foot and always rests his right foot. That is what triggered my question off.

I shall be preparing a questionnaire to research this so if anyone has the time could you just browse through it and answer a couple of questions once i have it sorted?

or if anyone has noticed this in their raptors i would appreciate any feedback. strange request i know but i'm such a curious madam and have to find out :lol:

thanks
bubo

[Red Sheridan]

Interesting Bubo.

I read somewhere many years ago that most raptors appear to be left footed and will generally hit quarry with their left foot first. I have watched for this in the belief that it was probably an unnecessary and rather pointless observation but in fact I have found it to be deadly accurate in almost all cases.
Quite why is a complete mystery to me but I have seen the proof for myself.

I'm not losing sleep over a definative answer to this but I do find it interesting all the same. I think it must be an age thing!! (me that is, not the bird)

Regards,
Red

[Coedhirion]

my male harris always hits a rabbit with right foot over nose and head and left foot behind. This means that if he takes a rabbit halfway through a fence or between roots, its always the left leg that takes the bashing, the talons on the left foot are worn slightly shorter than the right. Could be some are right and some are left 'handed' the same as people. This occurs in horses for definite. one side being stronger than the other.

[Varmint]

Well if the old legend of "Sinestri" for left and and "Dextra" for right is to be believed we better hope they are all right handed or we'll have to burn them as witches! :lol:

[Bubo]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

thanks guys for your imput that is very interesting.
bubo

[KevGem1]

intresting point that ive never thought about it before youve got me watching them even closer now. all the best KEV.

[Colohen]

I have worked with many wild raptors, great horns, screech owls, red-tails, red-shoulders,ect..... . I dont recall any of them useing the right foot to take or pick up food, allways the left! (Made a mental note) but didnt seem importent at the time.

[Bubo]

that is very interesting cheers

[IAmTheWeasel]

While I have been footed by both :roll: , I would have to say that there does seen to be a preferance to the left foot. I wonder if it has anything to do with the position the bird is in while on the glove? I cannot say what for she used in the field while on quarry as it's a bit to hectic of a situation when that occurs to note. If most falconers are right handed and hold the bird on the left arm, then maybe the bird is using the furthest away foot to grab things as it is the least secure foot on the glove. It only has the fingers to grab as opposed to the thick meat behind our thumb area which is more stable a platform?.....something to ponder......

[Bubo]

hi weasel, thanks for your observation. i'm keeping a log on kadabra for a whole month starting this month. (what leg he uses to stand on, to pick things up, etc.) and i will see what the results give.

I think there is such a thing as left/right handedness just through watching my little kadabs. i thought i was just the way he positioned himself for the landing than decided on the foot he would use but it seems that that is not the case. This gets more and more interesting.

thanks guys


hey weasle, do you realise i think this is the first post we have actually agreed on something :lol: :lol: must be your old age now :lol:http://yelims.free.fr/Groumph/Peureux04.gif :wink:

[Gunther]

This is intresting. I never watched for it really but I will start doing it from now on :)

greetzz

[IAmTheWeasel]

Bubo......It must of been my viagra pills.....bringing too much blood to the wrong head........ :rolleyes: hehehehe......
I wonder if Bird_dog will get on here again. He could provide some sort of insight as he is an animal behavioral specialist....Then he could also help explain a bit about the left/right foot thing too.... :lol:

[Bubo]

:lol: :lol: that would be excellent having a bird behaviourist on here. that is something i'm very interested in!!
bubo

[Bubo]

hi guys well a couple of months into the research and it looks like kadabra is a defiante left hander. He had a slight accident to his left foot in may so he was rested for three weeks (nothing broken just bruised). He was trying very hard not to use his left leg as he uses it for everything. So that in a way helped me realise more that he was really left handed and not only just a coincidence. But i dont suggest you all go standing on your birds feet to find this out :wink:

i have also started with belgian falconers and guess what!! it appears their birds are right handed :shock: of course they would be they do everything opposite to us :lol: I still have a very long way to go but it is becoming very interesting. As the birds are in moult now they are only basing this on what they have been observing in their mews but once the flying season comes round i'll have more information.

bubo

[Mary Quite Contrary]

left leg in and your right leg out

In out in out altogether now................

[Falconry Equipment International]

in out shake it all about........ :lol: :shock: :roll: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Bubo]

shake it all about, :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Sprout]

Not too much sjaking thanks, it might fall off :rolleyes:

[Bubo]

no worries we got a good vet to stitch it all back up again :wink:

[Sprout]

Interesting thread anyway, not something I've noticed before but will keep an eye out. Do remember reading something in the past about there being a higher incidence of left handed/footed sports people than there should be. Something to do with better hand/foot to eye co-ordination??

[Jester]

Everyone is born right handed




































only the greatest of us overcome the affliction :mrgreen: :lol:

[Bubo]

Cheers Sprout, that is also interesting. Once we get results, i wonder if handedness would show any sort of link to foot/eye coordination in birds maybe the way they hunt or percieve? I dunno but i still have so many things to find out.

Jester get outta here :lol: :lol: I got stuck half way cos i'm ambidextrous 8) .

bubs

[Bubo]

[quote="Jester"]Everyone is born right handed quote]

this is proving to be untrue even in young owls :butthead: :wink:

[Bubo]

just a quicky guys, Jemima Parry-Jones wrote back to me with a great point!! i personally thought that owls/birds use their stronger foot to manipulate food and objects and to hold the head of the prey items down. Jemima pointed out that it could be argued that the birds keep their stronger foot on the ground for a better kick off and use the weaker one for the manipulating. Any views anyone?

once your training gets under way guys could any of you keep an eye out on what foot his the lure? i know i'm asking a lot and i hope i will be able to return this favour one day, a pint at a fair maybe :wink:

thanks a lot for putting up with my questions?

bubo