Volume 27 | Issue 2 Article 8

1965 The aC re And Feeding Of Trained And Jim Roush Iowa State University

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Recommended Citation Roush, Jim (1965) "The aC re And Feeding Of Trained Hawks And Falcons," Iowa State University Veterinarian: Vol. 27 : Iss. 2 , Article 8. Available at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/iowastate_veterinarian/vol27/iss2/8

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Iowa State University Veterinarian by an authorized editor of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Care And Feeding Of Trained Hawks And Falcons by Jim Roush

Falconry is the art of training hawks, is the first few months after hatching. falcons, and to pursue and capture Baby hawks are extremely frail and tender wild . It is perhaps the oldest field and they are very susceptible to trauma sport; in fact it was one of the ways of and the forces of nature. They are also procuring meat for the table before fire­ very susceptible to the nutritional dis­ arms were developed. During the first half orders such as rickets, perosis (slipped of this century this ancient sport has in­ Achille's tendon) etc. Louse powders com­ creased in popularity. This is probably due monly used on cattle and can kill to the rising standard of living and a sub­ them. In fact, hawklets survive only be­ sequent increase in leisure time. cause of the constant and very exacting The are susceptible to a care of the female . Since it is most variety of diseases and injuries, and each difficult for any human to duplicate the falconer occasionally needs the services of care and nutrition prOvided to the young a veterinarian. The diseases of raptorial hawks by nature, my advice would be to birds are not well known, and the treat­ leaves the eyasses in the nest until they ments for these diseases are either archaic are almost ready to fly. This is the only or untested, and the veterinarian must insurance of having healthy young hunt­ rely on his general medical knowledge in ing birds. It is suggested by prominent these cases. However, the principles of American falconers that young hawks in care and feeding of trained hawks and the medium size range should have at falcons are well established, and have least eight inches of tail . If they been for more than four thousand years. are taken before this stage they will prob­ This article is intended to be a review and ably develop perosis. They will almost a summary of these principles. certainly become "screamers·~. a vice where Hunting birds can be trapped from the the young hawk emits a piercing series of wild or taken from the nest when young. screams beginning at dawn and ending The former birds are called haggard fal­ at dusk. "Screamers" are exasperating to cons, and the latter are called eyasses. say the least. Briefly, a beginning hawk is trained to If, for some reason, one must care for fly to the falconer for food. They are then extremely young hawks, the following trained to attack and kill game, and to points must be considered. hold this on the ground for the falconer Keep them inside and at a reasonably without flying off. This is not as easy as warm temperature. When very young they it may sound, however. There have been should be kept in an environment with a volumes written on the proper procedure temperature of about 90 degrees. This of training and a falconer may spend may slowly be lowered to room tempera­ months striving for perfection. This makes ture as the hawks grow. a hunting hawk very valuable to the fal­ Diet is the most important aspect of coner. - raising very young hawks. An acceptable The most crucial period in a hawk's life diet is one that closly approximates that fed b.y the mother hawk. In the wild the female hawk supposedly kills small birds • Jim Roush is a junior student in veterinary med· icine at Iowa State University. and mammals and tears them apart, stuff-

Issue, No.2, 1965 83 CALCIUM AND PHOSPHORUS CONTENT OF SOME MEATS*

per cent phosphorus % P % Ca Meat present to add to add

beef .16 .44 1.0

veal .25 ,.35 1.0

lamb .17 .43 1.0

beef heart .20 .40 1.0

beef kidney .22 .38 1.0

beef liver .35 .25 1.0

beef tongue .18 .42 1.0

lamb kidney .23 .37 1.0

lamb liver .36 .24 1.0

* from The Science of ~ and Meat Products, W. H. Freeman. ing the material into the mouths of her unknown, but these recommendations are offspring. Since most falconers are reluc­ all we have. A multiple vitamin prepa­ tant to try this, the next best procedure ration should also be included in the diet. would probably be to grind up small birds Hawks should never be fed anything and mammals and feed this to the but meat as a basis for the diet. I once eyasses. This, too, is usually impractical. heard of a veterinarian who recommended Nonetheless, plain meat is not satis­ chick starter for the young hawks. This factory. The diet must contain proper diet would undoubtedly prove rapidly levels of calcium, phosphorus and manga­ fatal; a raptore's digestive tract is oriented nese, and these minerals must be in completely toward digesting flesh, and balanced proportions. A deficiency or in­ they do not even have a gizzard. Growing balance of these minerals is the cause of hawks s'hould never be .fed plain horse perosis. Morrison's Feeds and Feeding meat, heart or liver. These meats are ex­ recommends that the diet for growing cessively high in phosphorus and can should contain 1.0% calcium, lead to skeletal diseases. Most other 0.6% phosphorus, 0.5% NaCI and 25 mg. muscle meats are satisfactory if the min­ of manganese per pound of feed. Whether erals are correctly balanced. or not this is suitable for growing hawks is Very young hawks should be fed all

84 Iowa State University Veterinarian they can eat every hour or two throughout fed, the head and crop should always be the daylight hours. Periods of starvation removed to eliminate the danger of the will cause the fonnation of "hunger hawk catching oral trichomoniasis. This traces" in the growing . This has disease is a common killer of trained been described as a thin line at right hawks and is difficult to treat. angles to the shaft, as though someone I know one excellent falconer who says had rawn a razor blade across the feather. he would feed his hawks the finest beef if It is an area of improper development and he could afford it. But since most of us the plume is likely to break at this point. can hardy afford beef for ourselves, beef The importance of preventing this will be heart is a good substitute for fully grown discussed later. hawks. necks ,backs and wings If these recommendations are not fol­ are also excellent hawk feeds. I have even lowed, the young hawks will almost cer­ fed hawks raw beef kidney for a week or tainly die. If these recommendations are so at a time. Hamburger is not satis­ followed, the hawks will probably die any­ factory because of the high fat content way, or at least slip their tendons and be and because hawks have difficulty eating useless. I cannot overstress the importance ground meat. Pork is not recommended of leaving the eyasses in the nest until because of the danger of trichinosis. they are almost fully feathered. Spoiled meat is also unsatisfactory. Once a hawk has been taken from the As a precautionary measure, it would nest at the proper time and has been be a good idea to include a vitamin supple­ proven not to be a screamer, she may be ment in the diet of grown hawks. handled in two ways. She may be coaxed The amount of meat a hawk should be to jump to the trainer's hand for food and fed depends upon four factors: thus coaxed to fly. Or she may be "flown at a) the size of the hawk, hack"; here the hawks are kept in a shed b) the nutritional quality of the meat, during the night and during the day they c) the environmental temperature, and are released to roam at will. They will re­ d) the hunting status of the hawk. turn in the afternoon to be fed, and then The best way to regulate the food intake they can be returned to the shed. This pro­ is to weigh the hawk daily. To accomplish vides abundant exercise and will produce this, get a spring scale that weighs in frac­ a well-muscled and strong-flying hawk. tions of ounces, removing the pan from However most falconers live in areas the top of the scale and replacing this with populated by other people and there is too a crossbar that will serve as a perch. much risk involved in turning young When a hawk is moulting (a process hawks loose. They are likely to get shot, which goes on a feather at a time through­ eaten by dogs, or murdered by children. out the spring and summer) she· should If the hawk is taught to fly by jumping to be fed a good full crop daily. This will in­ the hand, the distance should be increased sure good health in this stressful period daily, and the more exercise the better. and it will prevent hunger traces in the in­ Mature hawks, falcons and eagles are coming feathers. The hawk will become more hardy creatures; once a hawk is able heavy but her weight is insignificant at to fly, almost any kind of meat will suffice this time. for food. I would not recommend a high When the moult is completed and it is phosphorus food as the sole diet, but it desired to bring the hawk into hunting probably would not hann the hawk to eat trim, her ration should be cut down. When good quantities of these foods. A whole the hawk shows signs of being very or once in while is good for a hungry, yet does not show any signs of hawk. They can consume some hair and weakness or emaciation, she may be feathers, which will roll up in the crop trained or retrained for hunting. The and later be expelled. This will serve to clean any debris out of the upper digestive • Most falconers prefer female hawks because of tract. When birds (especially pigeons) are their larger size and superior aggresivenes•.

Issue, No.2, 1965 85 weight of the hawk should be recorded at hawk is temporarily useless. These feathers this time. The hawk should then always can be repaired by a process called "imp­ be hunted at this "fighting weight." A few ing." This resembles interrnedullary pin· ounces heavier than this and she probably ning but on a smaller scale. Imping will not hunt and she may even flyaway. needles are made from wire which is tri­ A few ounces lighter and she will prob­ angular in cross section. Straightened ably be too weak. suture needles should also work. The When the weather is very cold broken stub of the feather is trimmed with require an increase in their ration to a razor blade and the distal portion of the maintain their condition. If hawks are broken feather or of another feather kept on their summer rations and the should be trimmed to the size of the weather turns cold, they may lose weight broken portion. The imping needle is in­ rapidly or even starve to death. They burn serted into the distal part of the feather the energy to maintain their body temper­ and glued in with a good contact cement. ature. This is especially true of the smaller The proximal stub is also glued and the hawks. It is very difficult to keep a spar­ two segments are then fitted together. row hawk or other such small bird alive Hawks are restrained by means of through a tough winter unless they are leather straps attached to their legs. These kept in a heated building and on a very straps are called jesses, and they are about high dietary intake. one-half inch wide and approximately 12 A starving hawk loses condition qUickly. inches long (depending upon the size of The breast and legs become thin upon the hawk). The jesses are attached by a palpation. They will assume a resting special procedure which will prevent them position; stand with the feathers of the from tightening down on the bird's legs. head and body ruffled out, get a far-out, The distal end of each of the jesses has a day-dreamy look in their eyes, and cannot longitudinal slit and a leash is attached to be stimulated to assume any other pos­ the jesses by means of a swivel device. ture. They may make feeble attempts to The swivel is a very. important measure eat. Eventually they will become prostrate to prevent the hawk from twisting her and seem to be in a coma. They usually legs in the jesses. If this should happen in die before the next morning. Even the cold weather the resulting decrease in cir­ most careful falconer can be troubled by culation can cause the bird's .feet to freeze. starvation in his birds and once the symp­ The leash is used to secure the to toms are noted the prognosis for survival the perch. is poor. A warm environment and paren­ Hawks are continually jumping off the teral fluids may help. perch in an effort to fly. This is called The first rule of keeping falcons is com­ "bating" by falconers. One should re­ monly broken by beginners who have too member this when constructing a perch much enthusiasm and too little knowledge for a falcon. If there is any way a hawk of falconry. Hunting birds must never be could possibly become entangled, the kept in cages. This may be satisfactory for hawk will find it. This could lead to hawks and eagles in a zoo because these serious traumatic injury or it could cause birds usually have their spirits broken, but the hawk to hang upside down for several an active hunting hawk will ruin herself hours and die. The follOwing housing ar­ in a cage. They will almost invariably de­ rangements are intended to eliminate this velop a sore over the top of the where danger. the waxy cere joins the horny portion. The high perch is most commonly used These wounds are unsightly and are very in the falcon sheds and shelters. It is a slow to heal. Also the wing and tail long horizontal pole fixed at about eye feathers will become bent, broken and level and at least 3 or 4 feet from any badly frazzled. This has the same effect as wall. Some sort of durable cloth drape trimming the ends off the wings of an air­ should be suspended from this pole to the plane. Without good a hunting ground. The hawk is then tied to the pole

86 Iowa State University Veterinarian by her jesses. A good arrangement is to sudden a temperature change can cause have a swivel snap attached permanently respiratory disease. to the pole, and snap this through the One should remember to treat a hawk holes in the ends of the jesses. The pur­ with kindness. A hawk cannot be dis­ pose of the drape hanging down from the ciplined by striking her. This will probably pole is to give the hawk something to cling hurt the bird and it usually causes her dis­ to so that she may climb back onto the position to become completely refractory. pole after she bates. She may even grow to hate the falconer The weathering block is a low type of and everyone else and she may fiy away. perch used to give the hawk an exposure A hawk with a nasty disposition may be a to sunlight, wind and exercise. A good very good hunter, and if the trainer can one can be made from a large flower pot control his temper he will usually get filled with cement, with a spike imbedded along fine. A falconer can control a so that it protrudes about nine inches out frightened or HI-mannered hawk by super­ of the hole in the bottom of the pot. This ior intelligence, and without using force. can be driven into the ground through a Occasionally a falconer will get "nailed" 2 or 3 inch ring and the falcon's leash in the hand by a hawk. This is always the may be tied to the ring. With this arrange­ man's fault, not the bird's. A hawk that is ment the hawk can bate in any direction eating will use her talons to protect her or even go around the perch several times food, and a hawk that is distrustful of without becoming entangled. man will use her talons to protect herself. Some falconers keep their birds on what Anyone who extends a hand to a hawk are termed flight lines. This arrangement under these circumstances can expect it consists of two perches imbedded in the to receive several sharp talons. The aver­ ground at a distance from each other with age hawk will allow herself to be petted a light cable or heavy wire stretched be­ on the chin, breast, legs and feet, but not tween the two perches. The falcon's ring on the top of the head or back. All hawks can be suspended on this wire and she can resist very violently when they are picked be allowed to fiy from perch to perch. This up bodily. When restrained they should be turns the bating into useful exercise and wrapped in a large blanket and handled as helps keep the birds in shape for the hunt­ gently as possible. It is best if the falconer ing season. can do most of the handling. One need When the weather is favorable the birds not worry about the hawk "going for the should be kept on weathering blocks or eyes." This is a very rare occurrence. For flight lines during the day. They can ab­ such a terrible-looking creature the aver­ sorb sunlight and work their wings in the age falcon is very gentle; some even be­ wind. However if it is exceptionally hot come "half-way" affectionate. they should be placed in the shade. When For additional information on falconry night falls the hawks should be put in a I would recommend texts by Wood and shed to protect them from predators. Great Fyfe, Harting, Latham, and White. horned , racoons or any other large predators can kill a hawk. In very cold weather, especially when the wind is blowing, Hawks should be kept BIBLIOGRAPHY in sheds upon the high perch. The shelter 1. Elgin, R. Personal communication. 2. Wood, C. A. and F. M. Fyfe (ed.). The Art of may be open on the south side if the Falconry (De ATte Venande cum Avibus), by Fred. weather is not extremely severe. When erick II, Stanford University Press. (1961). 3. Freeman, W. H. The Science of Meat and Meat there is -little wind the larger hawks can Products. San Francisco and London, Reinhold Publications, Corp., (1960). remain comfortable in relatively cold 4. Harting, J. E. Hints on the Management of Hawks. London, (1884). weather as long as they are kept well fed. 5. Latham, Symon. Latham', Falconry: or, The Faulcon Lure and Cure, in two books, London, If a hawk must be taken inside in the (1633). Reprinted in 1957 in Monterey, Califor. nia. !'y the Bate and Slice Society. winter due to illness, she should not be 6. Morrison. F. B. Feeds and Feeding. Clinton, Iowa. The Morrison Publishing Co. (1959). taken out again until it is fairly warm. Too 7. White; T. H. The Goshawk. New York. (1951).

Issue, No.2, 1965 87