Peoples Opinions on Kite Training

[Bird Girl]

this year we are training our bald eagle, merlin, peregrine, and saker to the kite, for a few reasons really to reinforce height, build fitness and motivation. we may also train 2 common buzzards to soar using the kite. just wondering peoples opinions and experiences using the kite. any pros or cons for this training method. also wondering about different methods of phasing out the kite. and what sort of time periods do you keep your bird on the kite. thanx for any opinions on this subject just wondering how other people do it. liz xx

[FalconGriff]

Love them!! Once the birds are trained they never forget it so when I want them fit its time to dust the Kite off! Are you flying birds for displays? If yes then use the Kite in them, the public love the whole thing and never fail to cheer when the bird gets to the lure. If you need any help PM me or ask on here.

[Bird Girl]

Love them!! Once the birds are trained they never forget it so when I want them fit its time to dust the Kite off! Are you flying birds for displays? If yes then use the Kite in them, the public love the whole thing and never fail to cheer when the bird gets to the lure. If you need any help PM me or ask on here.

yeh we use them for displays, we have a open evening once a year in which we demonstrate the kite, ure right the crowd loves it. they are very fun to fly aint they.

[MusketMad]

yeh we use them for displays, we have a open evening once a year in which we demonstrate the kite, ure right the crowd loves it. they are very fun to fly aint they.Ive done loads of kite training over the years ...they make a great tool for getting back lost birds ...just hoist it up they see it from miles away !!

[Falcon Vitamins]

whats the best way to get the bird to go to the kite lure

thanks wayne

[Hardcore Hawker]

whats the best way to get the bird to go to the kite lure

thanks wayne

Get it keen and show it the food on the kite:lol: Sorry could not resist!

[MusketMad]

Get it keen and show it the food on the kite:lol: Sorry could not resist!
but its true steve lol:lol:

[Malar]

Kite train them all! Didnt John kite the bald before? It seems beneficial in so many ways, especially helping birds to mature and not 'butterfly' around you. We have kite trained a few, dont know about others but the fixed lures that slide down the line are a pain in the %$£@ and are best avoided.
As for the buzzards- high catches, leading to short periods of 'waiting on', leading to half circuits, circuits, 2, 3, 4 etc etc over time. Have found this very effective method to get these birds up for long periods until they see the original 'cue' of the high catch that they learnt originally :supz:

[Heike]

I have just put my 08 pere/barbary back on the kite at the end of gamehawk season,
me and a mate was watching her battling in winds to get to 500ft - Rob looks at me and said, you know this time and work in getting the kite up etc, is all really well worth it when you see the benefit and effort required by the falcon to reach the lure,

Once made to the kite as said it is easy to switch them back to it for fitness levels that you would not achieve without it.

Regards Keith

[Perebrine]

Kite train them all! Didnt John kite the bald before? It seems beneficial in so many ways, especially helping birds to mature and not 'butterfly' around you. We have kite trained a few, dont know about others but the fixed lures that slide down the line are a pain in the %$£@ and are best avoided.
As for the buzzards- high catches, leading to short periods of 'waiting on', leading to half circuits, circuits, 2, 3, 4 etc etc over time. Have found this very effective method to get these birds up for long periods until they see the original 'cue' of the high catch that they learnt originally :supz:

Hi,
Can I ask what method you use, if you don't use the type that slide down the line?
Cheers,
John B

[Puzo]

Get it keen and show it the food on the kite:lol: Sorry could not resist!

Many a true word spoken in jest!

[Malar]

Hi,
Can I ask what method you use, if you don't use the type that slide down the line?
Cheers,
John B


Either remote release (made from maplins solenoid by a friend) Or for lesser heights or training pursuit falcons, I have a swivel fixed on main kite line with another seperate line down to myself at an angle to the main line. I personally find the falcons can be taught persistance with this method and also the descent afterwards very controlled.
There are drawbacks- cost, extra time, the extra risk of entanglement. So far (touch wood) so good:)
http://i695.photobucket.com/albums/vv311/masondennis/kite.jpg

Dodgy but to illustrate my poor explanation :yawinkle:

[Perebrine]

Either remote release (made from maplins solenoid by a friend) Or for lesser heights or training pursuit falcons, I have a swivel fixed on main kite line with another seperate line down to myself at an angle to the main line. I personally find the falcons can be taught persistance with this method and also the descent afterwards very controlled.
There are drawbacks- cost, extra time, the extra risk of entanglement. So far (touch wood) so good:)
http://i695.photobucket.com/albums/vv311/masondennis/kite.jpg

Dodgy but to illustrate my poor explanation :yawinkle:

Thanks for the reply. Do the Falcons tend to carry the lure if remote released, if so how can you stop/prevent this?
cheers,
John B.

[Malar]

I have seen a parachute affair on a lure once, mine is just heavy! The kite is 10ft so lifts it no problem. I dont think it could lift one heavy enough for bird girl's bald eagle though :-D
The other method is obviously controlled by you, the lure can be dropped or lifted to simulate a ringing flight.

[Puzo]

There's information on the various set-ups, release types, etc on this site!
http://www.deltas.freeserve.co.uk/falcontraining.html

[Bird Girl]

Kite train them all! Didnt John kite the bald before? It seems beneficial in so many ways, especially helping birds to mature and not 'butterfly' around you. We have kite trained a few, dont know about others but the fixed lures that slide down the line are a pain in the %$£@ and are best avoided.
As for the buzzards- high catches, leading to short periods of 'waiting on', leading to half circuits, circuits, 2, 3, 4 etc etc over time. Have found this very effective method to get these birds up for long periods until they see the original 'cue' of the high catch that they learnt originally :supz:

yeh the eagle was kite trained ten years ago i meant to say we are just building his fitness again after he's moulted. every year we start his training on the kite for about 2 months to get him super fit then we dont use it al all all year. atb liz

[Bird Girl]

we use two different ways to release the lure on the kite. with the eagle, and probably the buzzards we have a clip on the string about 10ft below the kite. the chicks are tied to a piece of string. at the other end of the piece of string is a loop which clips onto the clip on the kite string. with enough force this will pull free from the kite. an 8 pound eagle finds this pretty easy. and he will pull the string off the kite and stoop into the fist.
the other way is the quick release and slide which we use for the falcons. same loop and clip technique as the eagle but the string is much easy to pull of. also we use a lure, so at one end is the lure in the middle of the string is the loop which clips onto the kite string, and at the other end is a key ring which allows the lure to slide down the kite string when its released. and the falcon slides with it. some people dont like this but i have to say we have kite trained many falcons this way and hve never had a problem, even with the merlin, no bent feathers no accidents, i find it pretty safe. once the falcon is trained to the kite though we stoop them in before they get the lure. liz xx