Annals of Warsaw University of Life Sciences – SGGW Science No 53, 2014: 143–149 (Ann. Warsaw Univ. of Life Sci. – SGGW, Anim. Sci. 53, 2014)

Study on the relation between an and man RENÁTA TOBOLOVÁ2, PIOTR WIETROW2, PAWEŁ KOSIARZ2, ANNA GŁOWACKA 2, MONIKA ŁUKASIEWICZ1 1 Department of Animal Breeding, 2 „Aves” Scientific Circle Warsaw University of Life Sciences – SGGW

Abstract: Study on the relation between an were also trained for work or for sports. accipiter bird and man. The aim of this study A currently popular method of training was to learn relations between accipitrids and is the so-called positive reinforcement men working with them. The study consisted in observations of trained accipitrids – common which consists in the strengthening of buteo and positive behaviors by the use of, e.g. re- Accipiter gentili, during everyday trainings, with wards and behavioral markers. Before special attention devoted to the role of sight in such training, an appropriately strongly their life. As a result of observations made in the motivating reward is selected depending study, it was concluded that the visual and audio signal as well as knowing each other and common on preferences. trust were important factors during man’s work Northern goshawk Accipiter gentili is with a raptor. Common buzzard turned out to a timid and secretive bird, difficult to ob- be a calmer bird, its responses were less rapid serve (Pielowski 1996). It is a common, compared to Northern goshawk. This raptor did though not numerous, species of for- not pay attention to the presence of unfamiliar persons, but was vulnerable to objects emitting est interior (Tomiałojć and Stawarczyk signals unfamiliar to it (buses or moving trolleys). 2003, Anderwald 2013). It is unsociable, None of the hunting allowed to be touched impetuous, wild and very bold. It eagerly by an unfamiliar person, which is a natural preys in the afforsted rural and field land- behavior of raptors. Northern goshawk was scape. The spectrum of its preys is very responding signifi cantly faster to the sight of an approaching person and was fl aying away almost wide because the trophic niches of male immediately. and female hardly coincide. The female is remarkably larger than the male and Key words: common buzzard Buteo buteo, its prey may be that of the size of a , Northern goshawk Accipiter gentili, man-bird whereas male prey does not exceed the relations size of a pigeon. Recent goshawk ex- pansion (Rutz et al. 2006b) has been at- INTRODUCTION tributable to a continuous increase in the population number of pigeons as a result For ages, relations between man and of transformations in agriculture (Rutz et have been accomplished on the al. 2006a). Goshawk is reluctant to car- plane of production and coexistence. rion and has a strong hunting instinct, Since ancient times, a man has been re- therefore it is not the ally to pigeon and maining in close relations with birds that poultry producers. Many goshawks end apart from keeping company to man, their lives in traps set nearby dovecotes 144 R. Tobolová et al.

(Kruszewicz 2010). Perceived as a ver- Korbel 1983, Dudziński 1988, Havet min, this raptor has been for ages exter- 1994, Godlewski 1997, Elphick 2003, minated also by hunters who were blam- Hayman 2007, Nüsslein 2008). ing it for losses in populations of involves not only preying, and game birds. but also cooperation between a raptor The situation of common buzzard and a man. Many falconers take care Buteo buteo is much more favorable. over their raptors for pure pleasure. In It is the most numerous accipiter bird general, falconry involves taming (man- of and (Tomiałojć and nig) of a raptor and teaching it to fly to Stawarczyk 2003). A high population the falconer. After appropriate training, number, small habitat requirements and the birds equipped in claws and excellent “open lifestyle” enable its easy observa- senses are able to capture a prey. A fal- tion outside cities (Pielowski 1996). It coner takes a great pleasure in possess- nests in forests and large tree complexes. ing a “winged pet” and in the possibil- As it feeds with , the biotopes ity of observing its flights, whereas the of this raptor include rural and field preying itself is a wonderful spectacle landscapes (Perrins 1998). Birds con- and, presumably, the most natural way stitute the second in line component of of practicing hunting. its diet, although some scientists claim The aim of this study was to learn that the share of birds in its prey may relations between accipitrids and men be significantly greater (Goszczyński working with them. The study consisted and Piłatowski 1986, Jędrzejewska and in observations of trained accipitrids Jędrzejewski 2001, Reif et al. 2001, – common buzzard Buteo buteo and Goszczyński et al. 2005, Skierczyński Northern goshawk Accipiter gentili, 2006). As common buzzard feeds with during everyday trainings, with special field pests, a man has no reason for ex- attention devoted to the role of sight in terminating this raptor. their life. These birds are used in falconry to, e.g. hunt with a raptor for game (most frequently with goshawk). The widely MATERIAL AND METHODS understood falconry has been popular in many parts of the world inhabited by the Observations involved two species of birds of prey. It includes both hunting accipitrids: the female common buzzard with raptors of the (Falco- Buteo buteo aged 6 years and male North- nidae) sui generis, but also hawking with ern goshawk Accipiter gentili 1 year of various species of accipitrids belonging age. Observations of bird trainings were to the family including ea- recorded using a stationary digital cam- gles and their subfamily – sea , era and a flying platform, in the form e.g. white-tailed Haliaëtus al- of short videos presenting behaviors of bicilla or hawks Pandion haliaëtus birds in different situations (Fig. 1): (1) – although they all belong to the order calling the bird to a falconry glove with Falconiformes (all contemporary orni- meat hidden inside; (2) calling the bird to thological and hunting data come from: a falconry glove without feed; (3) calling Study on the relation between an accipiter bird and man 145

1. 2.

3. 4.

FIGURE 1. Various scenorios of bird training the raptor to a falconer’s hand without ter each flight, the bird is rewarded with a glove and meat; (4) calling the rap- a piece of meat. Depending on physical tor to a falconer’s hand without a glove, conditions, the bird performs from a few but with meat; and summoning the birds to several dozens of flights in a single with the use of different types of obsta- training session. Hence, the stimulus cles, situations non-specific to raptors’ the bird is responding to is the falconry environment and training spaces, includ- glove. ing the stress-inducing ones. Training of The first stage of the study included birds have made their owners. Training the identification of a stimulus which the birds took three hours a day through triggered the accipitrid’s response in the September, October and November. form of flight to the trainer. The experi- All observations were meticulously de- ment was carried out in a few variants. scribed. The first consisted in calling the bird to a falconry glove with meat hidden inside. The response of the raptor was RESULTS AND DISCUSSION practically instantaneous. Another vari- included calling the bird to a glove Training of the birds of prey is aimed at without feed. In this case, the response of improving their physical performance the raptor was also appropriate. The third and at developing habits indispensable variant included an attempt of calling the during cooperation of a falconer and raptor to a falconer’s hand without glove his raptor. The basic training method in- and meat. It resulted in the indifference cludes the calling of a bird to a glove. Af- as well as lack of response and interest 146 R. Tobolová et al. of the bird. The final variant included an was observed in the experiment with attempt of calling the bird to a falconer’s common buzzard. When the owner was hand with feed. Despite reward being calling the bird from behind a building, noticeable to the raptor, this attempt also the raptor who could not see the glove ended with bird’s indifference towards was not responding to signals. When the man. It may, therefore, be concluded falconer emerged from behind the build- that it was the sight of the glove (which ing, the response was instantaneous (as is associated by the bird with reward in the case of goshawk) and the bird was from the beginning of the training) and flying to the trainer. The second variant not of meat that was the stimulus which of the experiment consisted in examining determined raptor’s flight to the falcon- the function of sight of common buzzard er. With time and with growing trust in in conditions unknown to the bird, i.e. bird-owner relation, some modifications stress-inducing conditions. Initially, the may be introduced into trainings. The bird was left on the bus stop at a high- falconer is able to teach the raptor flying traffic street. Seeing the approaching cars through between legs of another person. and buses, the raptor was showing stress The raptor is attempting to execute this responses, which included rapid move- unnatural to it command when it sees the ments of head in various directions and appropriate signal given by the falconer, attempts of escape. Once the hood was and its action is motivated by a double placed on bird’s head, despite sounds of reward. The bird would not execute this buses and cars, it was no longer show- task without being sure that it may trust ing any signs of anxiety. A similar ex- its trainer. Another modification of the periment was carried out when a trolley training is the thrust of a piece of meat was moving in common buzzard’s envi- into the air and its catch by the bird. See- ronment. It was causing anxiety of the ing a characteristic pose assumed by the bird which was attempting fly out of the teainer, the raptor is preparing to catch glove. However, once the hood was put the feed in the air. onto its head, the bird did not pay atten- Another stage of the study was aimed tion to even such characteristic sounds as at confirming the thesis that the sight those made by a moving trolley. is the main sense organ of accipitrids The next stage of the study was aimed in their everyday training. The first ex- at observing an important factor in the perimental variant consisted in observa- cooperation of bird and man – namely: tions of bird behavior during calling it to trust. A few experiments were carried a glove when the owner (with a glove) out that were based on checking raptor’s was hidden behind an obstacle. The gos- response to its owner and to unfamiliar hawk’s owner was hiding behind a tree, persons. The first experiment consisted which resulted in bird’s jumping from in calling goshawk by the falconer when branch to branch to spot the falconer. unfamiliar persons were freely stroll- Coming out of the owner from behind ing in the field in different directions. the tree and showing the glove with feed The raptor could not decide to fly over resulted in the immediate response and the field, was intimidated and anxious flight of the raptor. A similar situation with the presence of other people. Only Study on the relation between an accipiter bird and man 147 when the unfamiliar persons dispersed In the case of the common buzzard, the and made a gap, the bird could freely response to the owner was the same – the fly through, the raptor took the occasion bird was calmly sitting in once place and immediately and returned to its owner. showed no fear. Once the unfamiliar per- In turn, when the persons unfamiliar to son was approaching, the bird showed no the goshawk were coming together with response and was staying in place, while the falconer (as persons known to the too close contact with the strange person owner), the bird was flying to the glove resulted in the raptor’s escape. without hesitation. With this behavior, In his book, Mieczysław Mazaraki the bird showed trust to the owner. In the (1977) describes old methods of case of common buzzard, the outcome of training for hunting, applied when the the experiment was slightly different. In concept of “positive reinforcement” had the first and the second situation, the bird not been introduced into training meth- did not hesitate and was landing on the ods. However, even then falconers were glove almost immediately. Without any using the system of rewards as well as greater reservations, the raptor was fly- simple commands and signals to develop ing through between the persons and was a desired behavior in a bird. The training calmly reaching its owner at the moment of falcons included four basic stages. It when the unfamiliar persons were freely started from the so-called manning, i.e. strolling in various directions as well as taming of the bird; elimination of its wild- when the unfamiliar persons were coming ness and strive for freedom. The bird was together with the falconer. Another ex- not allowed to fall asleep for 3–4 days. periment consisted in bird’s flights from Afterwards, it was numb and much calm- one glove to another, from the owner to er, and this enabled starting the second the unfamiliar person and vice versa. In stage of the training when the bird was the case of goshawk, some complications accustomed to the touch of the falconer, occurred. The raptor did not want to fly to wearing a hood and to peaceful sitting to the unfamiliar person. But without any on the glove. The falcon had to earn every reservations, was returning to its owner. piece of meat it had been given for the ap- In contrast, common buzzard was flying propriate behavior. In turn, the bird was to both its owner and to unfamiliar per- not given the feed to atone disobedience. sons. The last experiment investigating “Methods currently used by falconers are the bird-owner trust consisted in check- not that drastic. Just the opposite, they are ing raptor’s behavior that was sitting on humanitarian and show full understand- the ground toward familiar and unfamil- ing to the responses of the trained bird, iar persons coming by. Seeing its owner, and most of all show the knowledge of the the goshawk was practically staying in theory of conditioned reflexes, which au- place; it was not running away, showed tomatically eliminates cruelty and exces- no fear nor anxiety – just the opposite, the sive violence from training” (Mazaraki bird was shaking its feathers off, show- 1977). Next, there came the time for the ing rest and comfort. When the unfamil- principal stage of learning, i.e. for beyond iar person was approaching, the bird was manning. The bird had to learn to fly to immediately frightened and flew away. the falconer at a given signal, which could 148 R. Tobolová et al. include e.g. name of the bird or sound factors during man’s work with a rap- of a whistle. Afterwards, the bird had to tor. Common buzzard turned out to be land on the glove and eat a piece of meat a calmer bird, its responses were less prepared for it. It was important to teach rapid compared to Northern goshawk. the falcon to restrain from the attempt This raptor did not pay attention to the of escaping with the feed. At this stage presence of unfamiliar persons, but was of training, the bird should be calm and vulnerable to objects emitting signals tamed with , , tools used for unfamiliar to it (buses or moving trol- hunting like, e.g. nets, but most of all it leys). It results from the biology of this shall not be afraid of the game it would be bird and its prey preferences, as well as pointing in the future. The fourth stage of from direct causes that include the nerv- the training, i.e. setting, was began when ous system and the hormonal system that the falconer was sure that the bird might control animals behaviors. These systems be left free, and that the bird would not receive information from the outside en- escape. Initially, the falcon’s “prey” in- vironment through sense organs. Usual- cluded dummy or carrion. With time, the ly, the nervous system mediates in more raptor was attacking weak animals, to beat detailed and instantaneous responses, them easily and to gain confidence. Cour- whereas the hormonal system monitors age and experience gained in exercises the slower and more general responses. of this type made that during hunting the None of the hunting birds allowed falcon could prey animals significantly to be touched by an unfamiliar person, greater than it would normally attack in which is a natural behavior of raptors. natural conditions. An important element Northern goshawk was responding sig- of the training was to teach the bird to nificantly faster to the sight of an ap- give away its prey. Instead, it was given proaching person and was flaying away a reward, e.g. a sparrow or a bovine liver. almost immediately. Although the training itself was somehow Training a raptor is not easy and re- cruel, at least at the first stages of bird quires devoting a significant amount of taming, the best results were achieved by time as well as possessing sound knowl- falconers who were gentle to their raptors. edge and competencies. Even under A key to success was intermittent spend- man’s care, this bird remains wild and ing time together with the falcon during free, and each mistake made by man may training, feeding the falcon from hand, cause that it will chose life in the natural patience and delicacy as well as caring for environment. its health (Mazaraki 1977). REFERENCES SUMMARY ANDERWALD D., 2013: Drapole w Lasach As a result of observations made in the Państwowych, CI LP, Warszawa. study, it was concluded that the visual DUDZIŃSKI W., 1988: Ptaki łowne. 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