Are there not enough Harris hawks.

[Jacob]

Just been reading another section on this forum and someone mentions they are going to put a pair of harris hawks together after christmas and hopefully breed from them.He also mentions that his mate has four pairs that are having multiple clutches every year.My question is,is the demand that high for harrises and will they all sell and if so,who will be buying these birds.The reason i ask this question is when i started out in falconry there were plenty of harris breeders then.That was twelve years ago, you could take your pick, in fact i had two breeders within a three mile radius of where i live.My concern is what is going to happen to the harris,what price are they going to end up being sold at(they are cheap enough now)and who will end up buying these birds.

[HunterPaul]

there are a lot of idiots out there with three hundred quid and less just burning a hole in their pockets.... ready to be released into the world of falconry, all carrying nails to put in the coffin lid.... Paul

[Pertie]

there are a lot of idiots out there with three hundred quid and less just burning a hole in their pockets.... ready to be released into the world of falconry, all carrying nails to put in the coffin lid.... Paul
One shudders at the thought of how many h.h.'s owned by the above types die of neglect each year, hundreds must die to allow the unceasing (and increasing) supply of young birds to be absorbed each year.

[Ned]

People know who breed decent hawks,and they will always have buyers.
Just the same as you get to know the people on the forum that talk pish,and those who are genuine.
PS.Saying that there has to be some control over the breeding of Harrises ie.second clutching,3rd clutching.........

[Jacob]

People know who breed decent hawks,and they will always have buyers.
Just the same as you get to know the people on the forum that talk pish,and those who are genuine.
PS.Saying that there has to be some control over the breeding of Harrises ie.second clutching,3rd clutching.........
I understand that,but what happens to the birds that are bred from breeders with no reputation,the people selling them for £200 or less.

[Ned]

I understand that,but what happens to the birds that are bred from breeders with no reputation,the people selling them for £200 or less.

Sadly that happens but since deregistration this was all going to be on the cards,atb Ned.

[Steve O]

I understand that,but what happens to the birds that are bred from breeders with no reputation,the people selling them for £200 or less.

End up with the Chavs and fad lovers of this world???

[Dayo]

alot of people arnt in breeding hh for the cash they do it as an extention to their interests in falconry as with many other breeds.
if i ever start breeding bop i would imagine i'd find it very hard to give the birds away to just any fool. and i would defintely ask them where they were up to regarding their ability to manage a raptor.
as for double clutching i dont really agree with it but for those that rely on the cash it brings its must make sense to them.but not all breeders rely on making a lot of profit so they can afford to be picky who they sell to and concentrate on quality management. just my thoughts.

as for too many hh about i would say yes there are and if people started buying the passed over birds rather than the young ones, breeding sales would slow down and the breeders would reconsider double clutching.

[Ned]

Dayo if you had the choice of "a passed over harris" or an eyass of the year which would you take?,atb Ned.

[Jacob]

alot of people arnt in breeding hh for the cash they do it as an extention to their interests in falconry as with many other breeds.
if i ever start breeding bop i would imagine i'd find it very hard to give the birds away to just any fool. and i would defintely ask them where they were up to regarding their ability to manage a raptor.
as for double clutching i dont really agree with it but for those that rely on the cash it brings its must make sense to them.but not all breeders rely on making a lot of profit so they can afford to be picky who they sell to and concentrate on quality management. just my thoughts.

as for too many hh about i would say yes there are and if people started buying the passed over birds rather than the young ones, breeding sales would slow down and the breeders would reconsider double clutching.
I Don't really think it matters what the reason is for breeding them,for profit or interest,the question they should be asking themselves is,are there not already enough breeders.agree with your last statement by the way.

[Dave G]

Yes far too many and sadley alot end up in the wrong hands :(

[Pearl]

no matter what you say or do hh will still be bred and sold reason because there easy money ,easy to breed ,easy to get , to many lost to many killed to many wanting another after there will always be a market for hh imo

[Ned]

no matter what you say or do hh will still be bred and sold reason because there easy money ,easy to breed ,easy to get , to many lost to many killed to many wanting another after there will always be a market for hh imo

That's it in a nutshell Mark,and impossible to police,
as one gamekeeper put it they are the new lurcher and this in itself will give falconry all the headlines that it could do without,atb Ned.

[Pearl]

That's it in a nutshell Mark,and impossible to police,
as one gamekeeper put it they are the new lurcher and this in itself will give falconry all the headlines that it could do without,atb Ned.agree 100%

[Sean D]

I would love to breed Harrises just for the experience but can't bring myself to do it, maybe have a go at Goshawks instead:D

[Sean White]

I would love to breed Harrises just for the experience but can't bring myself to do it, maybe have a go at Goshawks instead:D

Sadly Goshawks arer becoming the new Harris.... Prices are falling and the same trend continues.

[Miliscer]

Sadly Goshawks arer becoming the new Harris.... Prices are falling and the same trend continues.

Ah I was just going to post the same - especially with the advances in AI now - more and more people are producing Gos' and the prices are tumbling - eventually there had got to be a saturation point though?

Mike

[Sean D]

Sadly Goshawks arer becoming the new Harris.... Prices are falling and the same trend continues.

Sean, I was being ironic with the Gos remark as I have seen males as cheap as £300,

[Kennelre]

It's a bit surreal to read the concerns expressed on this thread after reading the other current threads which focus on the issue of unprepared novices.
If you link the two agendas then it 's easy to see why over breeding happens, the type of mentality that can end up breeding...and those who are invested in it not stopping.


...Rene.

[Sean White]

Ah I was just going to post the same - especially with the advances in AI now - more and more people are producing Gos' and the prices are tumbling - eventually there had got to be a saturation point though?

Mike

Mike... I know a budding Gos breeder local to me. He seems to have a new imprint every season, he catches zero and his usual excuse is "I'm just here to man her up" .....likes to calls himself an "Austringer" he makes no secret that he intends to breed his imprints.
He dabbled with Harris's and falcons for a while....and failed :)

Sean, I was being ironic with the Gos remark as I have seen males as cheap as £300,

I know :)

Cheap hawks are not doing this sport any good.... too many dabblers.

[Jacob]

It's a bit surreal to read the concerns expressed on this thread after reading the other current threads which focus on the issue of unprepared novices.
If you link the two agendas then it 's easy to see why over breeding happens, the type of mentality that can end up breeding...and those who are invested in it not stopping.


...Rene.
I couldn't agree more.