A change in manners in my harris

[BrianM]

hi guys ,, i picked up tosca my female harris from the moult a fortnight ago and she has been flying free for over a week now, every night we go on a 2 mile circut round the farm , she hasnt killed yet(too much cover and not much about ) but is hitting the lure and the dummy bunny HARD anyway it more about fitness at this time,,, the problem is tonight we came across henry the farm hand, and i stood to have a bleather when Tosca started going apeshit at him screaming, hissing etc, she wouldnt come to the fist or lure so i had to throw down a chick and make in to pick her up,,, ,, she wasnt like this last year,

do you think she has had a bad experience when i lost her for a week last month or is she just maturing ( hormones) and was jealous, thinking henry was athreat to me ( me being her mate)

your thoughts

murf

[Ben C]

Interesting?

Maturing? how old is she? Was there a dog or any other distraction hidden from view (fox?).

How have you bonded with her? How have you fed her during the moult? What is this farm hand like, what did he do? How did he react? What else could ahve given her the *****?

[Renton]

Tosca just taking a strop with a stranger?

My Harris dislikes anyone ,except myself, and she makes her feelings known, very loudly, if someone she does not approve of ventures too close.

[BrianM]

she will be two next month, ben ,, yes ive bonded with her, she fed from the fist every night over the moult,, henry didnt do anything threatening just leaning up against a post,,,

murf

[Ben C]

If she fed from the fist every night then I would hazard a guess she FANCIES YOU MATE. I would kind of guess that if you alone have dealt with her (and no one else) at this point in time then you have got a serious situation. She is in her mind making a connection you cannot see.......jesus listen to me!!!!......I REALLY AM NOT SURE mate.

But if you were feeding her from the fist then you have got a bizarre food imprint or a sexual bond. Why did you feed her from the fist? This is a proper question not a covered dig: was it for a reason? :) :) :)

[BrianM]

oooops that reads wrong,,,, she was MANNED on the fist every night then fed,,,DOH

[Shaun Byrne]

Brian, she is just behaving like every other FHH I have ever seen. Sooner or later the females mature, bond, fancy, imprint whatever you want to label it and they get stroppy. If you are lucky it will just be that, a strop but it could get a lot worse if not kept in check.

If she shows agression to anyone else dont whisk her away or let the person slide away, make her stay put and face them, hold her low so she cant dominate them.

HTH

[BrianM]

i usually spend an hour with each bird every night watching tv or listening to the radio in my weighing shed,, then before the bird is replaced i will leave food in the mews for her going back in so that they dont see me putting it there

[Ben C]

Poor old Henry...I hope he likes a stroppy Harris. :) :) :) :)

[Bill]

Had she seen Henry before?

My female did something similar to a stranger. She was up a tree and started screking as he approached- 200 yds away. He just walked along the path past us but she did not like him. Sat up the tree in threat posture vocslising. Watched him out of sight before she would start hunting again. Perhaps he was an alien!

[Coedhirion]

'rude comments' from a Harris thats 'fed up' is normal, but spending a lot of time with a bird during the moult when its weights high is a bit rare, I think, many wont let you near them. recon you have managed to get yorself some kind of imprint there. Coud be wrong. Some Harris can turn nasty to strangers, imprints or not. Just have to watch it and may be take it for a walk where there are more people around. On the fist...just in case.

[Moses]

she is a bit possessive of brian, the first day i went she started screaming coz i was next to him that was months ago, but his male was nice and tame :D they luv a good touch us males dont we, its a rare opportunity to get touched

[Ben C]

BrianM....sometimes I talk *****......after having a long and complex conversation with Lucy and then re-reading my diary it has come to light that Cody has been very 'vocal' towards strangers on loads of occassions out in the field.

However he has not reacted as strongly as Tosca.......he comes to the fist etc etc.........its as if he is saying 'hello' and not getting angry/frightened. Which is what Tosca seems to be doing......

For what reason she is doing it......I can't say matey. :) :)

[Claire]

what was the guys body language towards the bird like, did he stare at the bird in a way the bird could have interpreted as threatening?, just a thought

[Wightwings]

Just bonding Brian, your her partner it would seem. Tha wifes male still hates me with a passion ans scream blue murder at me all the time. coos and quacks to the missus tho :evil: just keep an eye on her and like H4 says make sure she is not allowed to be in the dominant position too often or it could turn nasty.

[Kornie]

Remember birds can distinguish between dogs of the same breed and between humans too, I have 4 ridgebacks, Trinity dislikes one of the bitches, yet the male, brewster she doesn't mind AT ALL. maybe your harris isn't used to being handled by others or seeing by others, if I was in your situation I'd try and socialise your harris with strangers brian, take her out and get her used to the locals and passer bys.

Also try and get as many different people to handle and feed your bird as possible.

[BrianM]

its not really a major problem as i can go from one month to the next without comeing across anybody when i am out flying,, i just thought it strange as she was fine with other folks last year...

[Finnish]

MOVED THREAD TO CORRECT PLACE :!:

[James_Falconry1]

did he have a peak cap on because a harris i new disliked my cap alot and used to take stand in trees and gived me loads of s**t

[Varmint]

as i can go from one month to the next without comeing across anybody

Perhaps you have answered your own question Brian?

[BrianM]

as i can go from one month to the next without comeing across anybody

Perhaps you have answered your own question Brian?

aaaahhhhhh i see what your getting at ade,, the force is strong in you

[Varmint]

Thats why you should never invite me to your birthday party Brian, i can feel your presents :mrgreen: :lol:

[Hawkmaster]

How come your bird is out of the MOULT already!

[BrianM]

she was put down to moult jan 1st as my wee girl was in the hospital,,,

[BrianM]

tosca

[Adam Barrett]

did you over come this problem brian?
i think it could just be strating to show in my female :? :(

thanks
Adam

[BrianM]

she is a wee bit better but i dont think she would be any good at a meet,,, i met a guy ladtnight with a small dog ,, i stood and spoke to him for ten minutes with tosca on the fist the as he went to walk away he put his dog down and she went MENTAL.. otherwise she is spot on

[Adam Barrett]

have you found its just certain people?
she only started it maybe a few nights ago as i dont really stop to talk to people that often-but she just starts making a raket!
At home and when we are hunting with people she knows ext she is 100% silent and fine.

does she need more manning with differant people or do a lot of harris' get stroppy with strangers?

cheers mate

[BrianM]

pretty much everybody but me,,, you would need to ask around here to find out about other birds

[Kevin Massey]

it is hard to know and funny what sets them off... a pals bird dislikes hats !!! period and this includes hoods of jakets etc

kev