Hawk whispering?

[David Rampling]

Read a good article a few years ago about hawk whispering. About having the ability to put a bird of prey at ease using body language. Experienced falconers often do these things automatically.
The obvious one is avoiding direct eye contact, but strangely having the birds head near your face whilst avoiding eye contact seems to calm it, to me it seeems to create trust. Strange, but true.

Do you have any tips usefull to beginners that seem to calm a hawk or falcon?

[Jim Wale]

if you have a really scatty bird i find that if you treather it in our bed room for one night its seems to build trust very quickly

[NoMoon]

Read a good article a few years ago about hawk whispering. About having the ability to put a bird of prey at ease using body language. Experienced falconers often do these things automatically.
The obvious one is avoiding direct eye contact, but strangely having the birds head near your face whilst avoiding eye contact seems to calm it, to me it seeems to create trust. Strange, but true.

Do you have any tips usefull to beginners that seem to calm a hawk or falcon?
some people have it, naturaly,observation is the key imho and respect

[EdenJohnny]

if you have a really scatty bird i find that if you treather it in our bed room for one night its seems to build trust very quickly

If I had a scatty bird in My bedroom . Well who knows???? Johnny

[Blondie]

Do you remember where you read this?

I would agree with you about no eye contact and holding close to the body - especially during manning.
I would also add that slow deliberate handling on picking up and changing equipment. Don't wave hands around when close to the bird - especially when talking to others and manning at the same time.
Don't rush in when bird is on a kill - go in slow and low - "more haste, less speed" so as to not frighten the bird but ensure rapid assistance for your bird and unthreatening behaviour whilst despatching quarry.

[Dean]

Read a good article a few years ago about hawk whispering. About having the ability to put a bird of prey at ease using body language. Experienced falconers often do these things automatically.
The obvious one is avoiding direct eye contact, but strangely having the birds head near your face whilst avoiding eye contact seems to calm it, to me it seeems to create trust. Strange, but true.

Do you have any tips usefull to beginners that seem to calm a hawk or falcon?
I believe that some have natural ability to do this,can you pass it on to others,I dont think so!!I seemed a lot better at this years ago!

[David Rampling]

Do you remember where you read this?

I would agree with you about no eye contact and holding close to the body - especially during manning.
I would also add that slow deliberate handling on picking up and changing equipment. Don't wave hands around when close to the bird - especially when talking to others and manning at the same time.
Don't rush in when bird is on a kill - go in slow and low - "more haste, less speed" so as to not frighten the bird but ensure rapid assistance for your bird and unthreatening behaviour whilst despatching quarry.

I read it in an IBR yearbook, about three years ago, written by Steve Wright I think

[Icarus Fell]

Put a hood on it. Or turn the lights out. ;-)

As Dean said, some people are better at it than others. I think a lot comes from experience and learning from your mistakes.

Watching your bird and trying to understand what its take on the situation is.

[David Rampling]

In the article I read, Steve though that hands where very important, a hawk is terrified of them early on, and a handler has to be aware of that, because maybe a bird associated them with a big set of talons!, sounds far fetched, but makes perfect sense to me.

[Kennelre]

I read it in an IBR yearbook, about three years ago, written by Steve Write I think

IBR Falconry Directory: Volume 6 (2003/2004)
Page 161...'Hawk Whispering' by Steve Wright.

Quite a straightforward article, I thought.


...Rene.

[Dean]

Put a hood on it. Or turn the lights out. ;-)

As Dean said, some people are better at it than others. I think a lot comes from experience and learning from your mistakes.

Watching your bird and trying to understand what its take on the situation is.
Exactly,slyly glimpsing the eye,watching the feather conformation,that beard bristle is a great indicator!!!Its knowing when to put the bird down and when to pick it up!!!There are loads of other indications but born falconers only know them when they appear,it cannot be learnt,too much to it!!!!

[Blondie]

Thanks guys - I shall look it out - I must have a copy somewhere.

[David Rampling]

Exactly,slyly glimpsing the eye,watching the feather conformation,that beard bristle is a great indicator!!!Its knowing when to put the bird down and when to pick it up!!!There are loads of other indications but born falconers only know them when they appear,it cannot be learnt,too much to it!!!!

I think some of it can probably be learned Dean, if it is explained properly and clearly. Its worth explaining these points anyway, just in case!

[nektia]

Hi ,If you can read the ibr vol 11 page 128 Hawk wispering By Steve Wright.I have found this to be very useful and my hawk seams to respond .
However im sure someone will disagree as usual.

[David Rampling]

Hi ,If you can read the ibr vol 11 page 128 Hawk wispering By Steve Wright.I have found this to be very useful and my hawk seams to respond .
However im sure someone will disagree as usual.

Not at all, that is the article I was talking about, interesting stuff.

[nektia]

Not at all, that is the article I was talking about, interesting stuff.
Yes very interesting and as i say it works for me and my mhh joe.:)

[Afshimo]

does anyone have a copy they could put up? Thanks,

Han

[Grey_Squirrel_Hawker]

i find when approaching a jumpy falcon, bowing slightly and chupping seems to put them at ease a bit and make them easier to pick up. not always but works on many falcons in my experiance..

[JuliaK]

For me it was very good to have the gos inside my room a few days,also sitting or walking around with her.
She is very calm, I fully trust her, I'll lay my head next to her feet,she has never done anything to me.

[FireAsh123]

now you say that its funny what we learn as we go on, i go hunting with friends who fly birds too and through ou the hole day i find theres no issues with ppl walking about and talking to me but when i go with famiuly or friends they just seem to make the hawk uneasy, its the way they aproach i think, very direct and close all the time. its funny i have a small personal spacearea when without a bird but as soon as i have a bird on the fist i get the hump how ppl walk by me lol. nomally my dad who walks upto me and starts jesturing with his hands.:evil:

[Jack]

I can relate some of my own technique when it comes to manning a very wild hawk. For about 30 odd years I flew the Cooper's hawk almost exclusively, and of course they were wild trapped. I find that body language can be quickly and easily interpreted by the hawks. You just have to know what body language to speak.
When I have a freshly trapped hawk to work with, I will always start outside in daylight. Everything in my house will be alien to the hawk and so will be something to fear. Outside everything is familiar, and so I am the only thing the hawk has to concern itself with. Carrying a hawk will quickly remove most fear of being killed and eaten, but it will not alter the fierce attitude of the hawk. As the hawk is carried, I know that if I seem to be focused on the hawk she will know this immediately. I will hold her to my side as I walk, which makes it seem that I am walking past her always. I also do not approach her with a hand for some time. I will, should I have to, reach in from directly below. Never do I ever place a hand near her higher than her foot. One of the most important things to know is that being very still and moving very slowly, even though you are not looking directly at the hawk, can mean you are considering an attack on her. So, I just move in as least threatening as I can, and while I do things I sort of sing to her. Whistling will do the same. Birds that sing are not feeling agressive. And they have nothing to compare except what they know about, and that is bird behavior. I whistle and sing to them quite a bit, and this seems to take the fear of being attacked from them. I will offer food now and then, and if they should eat, I offer them such small amounts so food that they can get food all during a day without eating too much. They never lose the hunger or edge, and remain interested in me in that manner.
Avoid a direct stare. Just a glance to see what she is about or if the anklets are straight will not bother her. It is the hard stare.
Being very slow and quite can also relate to them that you intend to attack. Ever notice how a fat Harris does when someone approaches his mews? Same thing.
And making noise, such as softly singing and whistling will also detract the bird from fear. I have been able to very quickly man a hawk to the point of tameness by using this body language.
Something else you might consider. Clothing. How you dress is always a consideration. A hawk will recognize you by your own plumage in the very beginning. If you go to her looking completely different each day she will naturally be suspicious. For this reason I will have hawking and hawk training threads that I ware during this time. I want to look pretty much the same every day. I have taken strangers hawking with me and all would wear a camo blouse. Just this point of common appearance was always enough that the hawk would fly to the fist of anyone in the hawking party. Ask anyone if that is unusual for a wild trapped Cooper's hawk. It doesn't have to be camo, just a soft earth color that will not frighten the hawk, like bright reds and oranges might.

Jack

[FalconGriff]

First a bit of help to you Harris beginners. If the bird seems to be nervous try a very low croak in the back of your throat, the bird will respond and become calm I have noticed Harris use this call in display and to the youngsters.
There are certainly people that make hawks jump I assume by their body language. Out here I have found that when the Pakistani helpers go near the bird they erupt bating and screaming, I had always assumed it was because they cleaned the pens without any great regard for the birds so the birds simply didn't like them. This year I brought out four fresh Peregrines which had never had bad experiences with Pakistanis, they behaved exactly the same!! I now think that because I shout at out helpers to get away from the birds, "can't you see what your doing to my birds" The helpers are with their body lanwuage acting in a nervous fashion and this is transmitting to the birds - so maybe the fault is mine!!