Getting owls off quarry

[Jester]

i know i know :roll: its gonna probably be a miracle if i can get Jester to have much success hunting rabbit but i have always loved owls and since i got him i am definitely going to try to get him hunting

couple of evenings this week i have started running like a mad thing in the field dragging a rabbit leg behind me on a line for him to chase which is going quite nicely the reason im only using legs just now instead of a whole carcass is so he gets all of what he catches as soon as we get home so hopefully he eventuall gets the idea that im not robbing him.

After letting him sit on it for a while (long enough for a quick smoke) i tried tossing a few bits just out of reach hoping he might go for them but all i got was a hiss and snapping beak with the "sod that mate" expression and hugely puffed up.

the method that seems to work is hold a whole chick firmly in the gloved hand with just the head sticking out and slowly move in with it. when he grabs it and tries to get it the head comes off and he jumps back a little unbalanced which gives me a chance to cover it with my bag (if im quick enough ) then let him rip a few more bits of chick and when he is distracted i can slip it inside the bag and slowly stand up then offer him the rest of the chick to jump up then straight back to the aviary and give him the rabbit leg.

he only has a half hearted effort to fly off with it but he is still on the creance until the weekend when he gets tailmount fitted for telemetry so im hoping that he will find it hard to fly off with a whole one.

does anybody know any different methods or want to offer some constructive advice cos the only people round here i know with EEO barely even bloody fly their birds :evil:

[GDN]

With difficulty.

I have an Turkmanian Eagle Owl who hunts. Chases anything that moves including other birds. He has caught rabbits and i have just had to slowly and carefully work the rabbit free from his feet as he wasn't for letting go. He is quite small only flying at 3lb not like some of the big EEO you can get

[Bubo]

GDN, how did you get around the bird not thinking you are robbing him? does your owl show any signs of grabbing tighter cos he knows what you are going to do or even the contrary? i'm interested in this.

[GDN]

Bobo

This may not make a lot of sesnse as it is late on sat night and i have had a few drinks. So sorry if it doesn't.

As i approached you can see from his whole body language that he is excited. Even his call (well hoot if you want is very high pitched). He knows what going to happen and tries to hide it but to be fair to him he has a very nice temprement and is not aggressive so i don't have to deal with that. He knows that i am going to take it off him and holds on as tight as he can. The last time he caught something it was a hedgehog. It was only about half grown. I had to chase him about the field as he flew off with it but we were flying next to his aviary so he carried it to where he thought he would be safe - his aviary where i took it off him.

As you approach them they instinctively want to defend what they have caught. I don't think you can take that out of them or teach them not to.

One thing i will say when he decides that he going for something he may not be the most agile but boy does he have a turn of speed on him when he wants to. I have seen rabbits going at full tilt with him chasing them. With every wing beat you can see him closing the gap.

Hope that answers some of your questions Bubo if not let me know and i will try again when i am sober. :rolleyes:

[Bubo]

nope that is absolutely fine thank you!

[Hawkmaster]

Just try him on a dead one first and then do a trade for normal grub as for any hawk and as they can't see well close up it is easier!

HTH?

[Jester]

the method that seems to work is hold a whole chick firmly in the gloved hand with just the head sticking out and slowly move in with it. when he grabs it and tries to get it the head comes off and he jumps back a little unbalanced which gives me a chance to cover it with my bag (if im quick enough ) then let him rip a few more bits of chick and when he is distracted i can slip it inside the bag and slowly stand up then offer him the rest of the chick to jump up then straight back to the aviary and give him the rabbit leg.

tossing a titbit just out of reach dont work but the above seems to work reasonably well but maybe not so easy to explain ....... will try to get some video of this next time i am out with someone to work the camera.


tail mount and coping was sorted out yesterday, the excess weight from getting the big rabbit legs should be back off today and the weather seems like its gonna be fine so it looks like some free flying for him today