Older than 15

[Pitbull]

this question would have been better as a poll but it would be nice to see how many people have a harris over the age of 15 as you here alot bout the HH around the 5 mark and alot on the "passed abouts "especially on the forum recently.

[Osiris]

my friend has one near that age m8. Flies superb on the craence but when u take it off, you have to get out there and find it again!!

[Pitbull]

someone on the forum mentioned they had a 15 year old and i thought that it was so refreshing to hear

[PeelsBells]

this question would have been better as a poll but it would be nice to see how many people have a harris over the age of 15 as you here alot bout the HH around the 5 mark and alot on the "passed abouts "especially on the forum recently.

My friends have pairs of harries which are still breeding at the age of 20 years and they are producing 7 young a year.

[BLD122]

My friends have pairs of harries which are still breeding at the age of 20 years and they are producing 7 young a year.

I fly a wild caught FHH. She wears a Hess band dated 1993. I believe she is 15 to 20 years old. She is the biggest nastiest HH I have ever seen. Before she came to me she was badly abused.

[Pitbull]

improve my ignorance but whats a hess band, Is that the leg ring that they put on when originaly caught

[BLD122]

improve my ignorance but whats a hess band, Is that the leg ring that they put on when originaly caught

Yes that is what it is. Often these bands will be put on wild caught birds. It looks like a normal band but is held on with a small rivet.

[KevGem1]

I fly an eight year old (fhh) but just a wee pup compared to some of the birds you fellas have KEV.

[Gos212]

My friends have pairs of harries which are still breeding at the age of 20 years and they are producing 7 young a year.

Would be interesting to find out how much your friend paid for those birds, maybe four times what they would sell for today ?

[Hardcore Hawker]

My Female is 15 years old next july its one of the old proper harris hawks you dont see many really decent strong looking big footed birds about like there seemed to be 10-15 years ago my scales go up to 3lb at home and when she comes out of the moult she bottoms them straight out so i dont even know how much she weighs.

[Hardcore Hawker]

Gos 212 in reply to your price question i paid £900.00 for my female and i dont regret a penny of it to tell the truth. I have a freind who a few years before that paid £1500.00 for a female redtail. he also paid £1000.00 for a male harris and the bloke who bred that had bred 30 Harris Hawks that year.

[Talon]

my male which is one of a breeding pair is a 1990 bird .16 years old ....and can he still breed ? you bet in breeding season you should her him and her all day long ...and some times at night .realy giving it some ....im dead chuffed as i think the naighbours thinks its me with the misses...lol

[Takajo]

Hardcore, in Japan people pay 2000quid easy for a Harris, imported or domestic...Don't ask what a gyr costs, ohh the pain...

[StormRider]

My mate Paul has a Female Harris that is 14 years old. She is micey and will only let him handle her. Ive tried handling her and she has the strongest grip I have ever felt from a female Harris. He still hunts with her and she is amazing in the field on rabbit and hare. She is a bit dodgy when trying to take her off the quarry, she tends to go for your face. But still she is a bird that most would want to fly in the field.

TAkajo - Just as a point of interest: What is the most popular bird over in Japan for Falconry? I heard it may be the Goshawk. Does the Harris or Pere fair well over there?
STU:supz:

[Takajo]

The traditional falconry bird of Japan would be the Gos, but as it's illegal to take from the wild, the Japanese Gos is only hawked by biologists with special licenses. The Harris is definitely the most widely used, but the climate is terrible for the Harris here. Frostbite of the wingtips and dry gangrene are too prevalent. A system like America's apprentice system would cure that. Black Kites are more numerous here than bloody crows, and while they're not pure meat eaters, can make good falconry birds.......