I just started apprenticing, and i just want to say that the both of you are amazing people! I love your whole "outlook" on the falconry Way of Life. Its people like you and my sponsors that have given me a deeper love for this than I ever thought possible. All I can say is thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Thank you Nick from the bottom of our hearts, we absolutely love what we do and we're so happy to hear you share the same passion! We hope you can join us next Sunday for our very first live stream! In the meantime have a wonderful day :) -leah

Yes that's awesome, great reading material before the workshop. We're looking forward to it, Kyle! :) -Leah

Fantastic! Glad to hear it! We are looking forward to some many more episodes around starting Falconry, so we look forward to having you back for another episode :) -leah

Good evening Second Playthrough; Thank you so much for the marvellous feedback - we truly are grateful for the enthusiastic support. If you have a series of questions you'd appreciate us weighing-in on, do let us know! Best, Jo

@@TheFalconLady Thanks guys!! I have a ton of questions but I'll toss you a couple here. From being brand new, to an apprentice falconer with 1 bird, how much total set up do you need? (housing, equipment for handling the bird, etc.) Might be interesting to know approximate costs of all this as well. Secondly, how much day-to-day does falconry demand? Should you be out flying your bird every day? A few times a week? Once a week? Lastly (for now :-)), what if someone already has pets? Can you acclimate a BoP to live happily with dogs, cats, etc.?? I know you've touched on a few of these subjects in other videos but just throwing out what comes to mind! Keep up the amazing work, you all are very fun to watch and I look forward to much more "The Falcon Lady"!!!

Great questions! I will put them on the list for the next q&a video. And thank you very much for your support and encouragement! :) -Leah

@@DeadAshenSoul Good evening "SP"; Thank you so much for your enthusiasm - we're _entirely_ grateful for wonderful supporters like you! These are great questions, and worthy of a future "Q & A" episode; if you've got more you'd like us to take a swipe at, please send them along. By way of a "head's up", we're looking at doing a "live-feed" session with all of our subscribers in the next short while, so if you'd like to wait until then to have us tackle these, we'll do our best. Thanks again - have a great night! Best, Jo

We hope you enjoyed the episode and thanks for chatting, Jade! We look forward to continuing the conversation, and please let us know if you have any more questions! :) -leah

@@TheFalconLady I loved the episode. the end was really funny! :)

Destruct-O Girl!! 🥳 -Leah

@@TheFalconLady LOL

It's the same in the midwest as well.

Very Interesting Nathan and Mike! It seems like a common occurrence to see RTH and kestrels being recommended for beginners. From my personal experience, red tail have a huge "attitude problem" and (not so personal experience) kestrels are so delicate - they can pass away within the space of a day if something goes wrong. Definitely something to keep in mind for the future, or even something to suggest to your local fish and wildlife. Thank you very much for contributing to the conversation, and we look forward to having you back for another episode next week! :) -leah

Good evening Mike; I'm so glad to hear we were able to provide useful insights to you. I must say, I'm not supportive of beginners/apprentices having access to Red Tails, or Kestrels. In the first instance, a Red Tail is a highly aggressive, temperamental and powerful raptor, one which is more likely to "foot" you than almost any other mid-sized buzzard or hawk. A better option would be the Harris hawk, as they're a good deal more forgiving in terms of their emotional disposition, and - of course, they're indigenous to the US. Kestrels are fragile little falcons...it is *incredibly* easy to "get it wrong" with such a small raptor. The metabolism of a Kestrel, (like a Merlin), really only has one setting: on-steroids overdrive. This means an inexperienced individual having little or no guidance from a well-versed mentor will - without meaning harm, more likely cause a Kestrel to perish than not. As far as a "beginner's falcon" goes, I'd much rather see governing bodies guiding beginner Falconers toward a Lanner falcon, which is somewhat larger, but eminently more "forgiving" in terms of the action of their metabolism, and overall disposition. I'd _definitely_ support and encourage any efforts you undertook with other practitioners in New York state to push your Fish & Wildlife branch to adopt such changes, and I'd be glad to introduce you to living Masters such as Andy Hinton of the HCT, or Jemima Parry-Jones as resources to help guide such a process. Hope you had a great day - thanks again for cheering us on. Best, Jo

Wow that is a very interesting situation, Christin! Jo might be able to offer some more insights, but the resident falcon or hawk could be sitting on babies and trying to scare you away, or they might just be curious about you! From my limited knowledge, I believe the First Nations people have stories involving birds of prey interacting with humans in a significant way - it might be worth it to investigate. I absolutely love your company name and videos! Thank you very much for watching, we hope you are sticking around for many more episodes to come! :) -Leah

Good evening Marshall - lovely to hear from you! Golden eagles are simply fabulous, stunningly magnificent beings - I'm *so* glad you were able to observe them up close. To your first question, the falcons typically give out "alarm calls" when there are Bald eagles or the local Goshawk does a "too close for comfort fly-by". The alarm-call is a long series of high pitched chattering, or what you might call a "trilling shriek". Not a pleasant sound at all, and unmistakable for any other vocalization. And now for question #2: It was my good fortune to meet Leah when she was about 13 years old at one of the schools for sword-study in Vancouver; Leah was among the first to attend what used to be a one-day "Intro to Falconry" workshop, (its now a 2-day course owing to the fact we almost _always_ ran out of time to cover everything I wanted to introduce interested folks to). Along with three other young adults who were training at the salle, Leah pitched in to help with the daily chores, feeding and manning of the previous iteration of "Team Feathers", and worked with me intermittently until about 2013. At this point, Leah returned to post-secondary studies, and spent some time working at several professions she was curious about until we reconnected late last year. Its been a privilege and a blessing to have her support and encouragement as we develop the KZfaq channel, and share what I've learned - thus far - of this unique, mulit-layered Art. Thank you so much for the support, Marshall - its great to have wonderful cheerleaders like yourself in our corner! Best, Jo

Hello Marshall, thank you very much for watching and your amazing support! Falcon's Rest is truely a place of wonder and beauty. I know Jo will be able to jump in with her insights on a day to day basis, but when I'm out on the Rest with one of the Feathered, they're pretty relaxed but still very observant. We are always watching to make sure that one of the wild raptors doesn't decide to make Scirocco or Halo part of their lunch (if you know what I mean!). As for my own journey into Falconry, it was really Jo who introduced me to Falconry. I was studying at a martial arts studio when I was 12 and Jo waltzed in with her fisty little peregrine on the glove - I honestly couldn't believe that Falconry was a "thing". I remember the first moment I really got hooked, was when I was sitting down spending time with Thorn (Jo's red tail at the time), just staring into his beautiful warm brown eyes and actually creating a connection with him. It's been true love ever since :) -Leah

Absolutely Douu! We will make sure we put that episode together for you :) -leah

That would be lovely, thank you! However it was simply an idea thrown out there since you mentioned the importance of it, so please don't feel obligated or anything :)

Not at all! We love suggestions, questions and input from kind and supportive folks like yourself! :) -Leah

I second this! I was just reading about the difficulties inexperienced falconers can have when watching for signs of low weight. Along with body language, are you able to pick up on any differences “behind” their eyes? I’ve found that as you acquaint yourself with an animal, you can read their emotions or mental state this way. Same for birds/raptors?

Hey Jason! Right back atcha, dude - hope you're having a fabulous week! :0) Best, Jo

That's amazing! :) - leah

Good morning Romaniac205X; ...Has anyone ever said it to you before? 😉 Best, Jo

Hello Taylor! Thank you very much for taking the time to leave such an amazing comment, you've posed some really thought-provoking questions that I know Jo will be better able to answer from an experienced mentor position than I. Personally, I see benefits to both wild trapping and captive bred birds. I would absolutely love to experience trapping a young wild hawk, schooling them through the season and once they have learned to hunt them release them as is the traditional way. I think it's very valuable to care for nature, and make sure that wherever you are taking the raptor from that the success rate of young raptors it is truely an issue. At the same time, if you want to work with a gyr or peregrine falcon, they are significantly harder to trap and may not need the same assistance in the wild as other raptors do. So I can see where getting a captive bred bird is beneficial there. Here's the other side of the coin in that law you read, it notes "imprinted raptor". Not all captive bred birds are imprinted - in fact most aren't. All of Jo's feathered companions (red tails were cresh-reared) have been raised by their falcon parents until the time that the breeder takes them away to be flown to us - so they are essentially as wild as wild can be. They know they are a raptor, they have had no human interaction and _want_ no human interaction. Another thing to note is not all falconer laws/regulations in the US and Canada aren't exactly the same. Here in British Columbia we have no mandatory or formal Apprenticeship program (scary!) and we have a "schedule" of several different kinds of raptors you are allowed to work with in your first years of practicing Falconry. Food for thought! These are just my personal thoughts on the some of the things you've talked about. I would love to hear more from you Taylor! Please let us know if you have any more questions or suggestions. Have a wonderful day! :) -Leah

The Falcon Lady Thanks so much for your response! I hadn’t even considered the “imprinted” aspect. My mind automatically went to a captive bred bird. So I can see where that comes into play. Thank you for the comprehensive answer! Plan to hear many more questions from me ☺️

Good evening Taylor; Thank you for your enthusiastic support, and your great observations. I'm familiar with the discussion pertaining to "capturing youngsters from the wild gives them an advantage as many of them don't make it through their first year", and in many ways I both understand, and agree-with, this perspective. Traditionally, this is the way Falconers obtained hunting-companions - there was no other alternative until about 50-odd years ago, (as captive-breeding didn't exist). We'll have to explore this discussion in further detail in an upcoming video, methinks... ;0) As to *why* or _how_ it was arrived-at that Kestrels or Red Tail buzzards are considered appropriate "first birds" for an apprentice to possess, I cannot - for the life of me - explain this to you. Somebody somewhere decided _they_ (personally) could do it, (thus, the flawed logic goes, "other apprentices should do it the way *I* did"), or some biologist with nothing to do, and in utter ignorance of the Art form or the complications involved with stewarding either a Kestrel _or_ a Red Tail, decided "I degree - by virtue of my magical BSc - that *these* shall be the raptors an apprentice may possess". If either (or gawd-forbid both!) of these fictional possibilities had anything to do with the decision making, they're fundamentally flawed. Small raptors like Kestrels, Sharp-Shins (Sparrow-hawks), Merlins, and the like are incredibly fragile. They can literally go down in condition in hours, and if you haven't the background, experience, or understanding to grasp something is going sideways with a raptor like these, your ignorance _will_ kill them. Likewise, a Red Tail buzzard is in *no* way a legitimate "first bird" option for a novice. No way, no how. They have lightening quick - powerful - feet, and can be incredibly short-tempered. Red Tails are capable of inflicting serious, _serious_ , injury to the inexperienced handler, and it is - in my view - negligent to require novices or apprentices to begin with such unapologetically dominant creatures. Thankfully, this kind of short-sighted edict is not in place in much of Canada, where we reside, (though there are equally ridiculous "first bird" possession options in the Appendix I for British Columbia...consider the fact a novice _here_ can possess a Northern Hawk-owl. These are NOT Falconry birds!!!). A novice needs a "steady" bird they can safely learn with, one you'd have to go out of your way to harm - one you can develop your understanding-of, and your relationship with, over many years because they'll have the resilience to stay with you for a reasonably long life-span. My idea of good options includes the Lanner falcon (by way of a good longwing to learn with), or the Harris hawk, referred to by many as "the dog with wings" owing to how easily they're trained to become a good hunting-companion. I'd encourage you to write to your local (relevant) Fish & Wildlife department, or possibly arrange to visit you local director-in-charge of decision-making in this regard, Taylor. See if you can sit down for a discussion, and over a coffee (or two), make the case for these other options for the reasons I've outlined - among many others. Do your homework; learn about all the species concerned (both those your currently limited to possessing, and Lanners and Harris hawks), and lay out why you feel the latter two would make better options - or why they're at least as legitimate. There are many reputable, well-established breeders across the US producing parent-reared youngsters, so there's really never any cause for getting an 'imprint' bird, so this part of the restriction really holds questionable validity. There are some - experienced - Falconers who prefer imprints (I'm not one of them). They even swear by them as being "the best" at hunting, (again, not sure where or even *how* they come to this conclusion, but I digress...). A novice has enough to learn without dealing with a little feathered-being which believes its a human in a feather-coat, and will yell at the top of its lungs at you every time you come into view (because it associates you with food). If imprints are something you want to delve into many years down the road, you can - _after_ you've learned with non-imprints. A captive-bred, parent reared falcon, hawk or buzzard has imprinted on its own kind, and knows that you are "other". It has no illusions you are its "mommy". You'll still have to "win" its trust in much the same way as a wild-caught raptor, and you'll still have to help it to learn what it'll need to become a good hunter, (as in the case of a wild-caught youngster). See if you can begin a dialogue with the regional Fish & Wildlife staff in charge in your county/state. Change only comes when someone is brave enough to speak up, make good evidentiary arguments (in the *true* meaning of the word), and work collaboratively to make positive forward-driven change. Keep me posted! :0) Best, Jo

@@TheFalconLady Thanks for the reply Jo! My research and "argument" grow! I'm looking forward to joining the Michigan Hawking Club and getting the opportunity to talk with the other falconers here about the regulations and their thoughts on it all (if there's one thing I've heard repeated is that it's almost impossible to get falconers to wholy agree on anything 😋). I will definitely keep you posted. I snagged a copy of "Falconry Basics: A Handbook for Beginners" by Tony Hall, Revised and Updated by C. Stephen Heying, from my library. Have you heard of/read this one? It's been a really handy tool for getting some of my initial notes organized, and I love the "sass" his voice and tone take in the book. He's blunt and in not so many words says that the bird's health and safety are far more important than how much "fun" the falconer is having. He has a chapter on "First Birds" and in his intro he says: "All the birds described in the last chapter are well able to provide brilliant sport, but some are best avoided and legally required to be avoided until you have gained experience - either because they are expensive, or because their temperament makes them intolerant of mistakes or, much more importantly, because they are easily lost, permanently ruined, or killed through innocent mismanagement." I find a lot of his information helpful, and (from my inexperienced perspective) think that he's kept to the tried and true methods/techniques and importance of the "relationship" between falconer and bird, while updating the physical aspects (equipment, mew building, etc) with modern supplies and technology. If you've read it, or haven't and get a chance to look it over, I'd love to hear any of your agreements or points of contention. Happy Hawking ☺

Good morning The fur Flock; Thank you for your question - I'll do my best to offer a fair answer. You're in an exceedingly unique position owing to your Grandpa's experience working with hawks and falcons, and there are many individuals who'd be more than a little envious of you...you have a lot to be grateful for. 😊 As you begin your journey in this Art, there are many, many things to take into consideration; arguably the most important aspect of working with birds-of-prey is in entering the relationship - from the beginning - with a tremendous regard-for, and _respect_ for them. Red Tail buzzards (I'm guessing your Grandpa has mentioned to you they're actually buzzards, not hawks), are incredibly confident, powerful beings. They are wired to be survivors. All you need do to fully appreciate this, is to look at how this little fellow conducted himself when he was "kidnapped" by a Bald eagle, and brought back to her nest - probably as an intended meal for her own eaglets: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/g5Z_ZKehl8nTk4U.html When you see how aggressively this little fellow conducts himself - to his _benefit_ in the presence of much larger adopted siblings, it tells you pretty much everything you need to know about how Red Tail hawks perceive themselves. Even parent-reared captive-bred Red Tails remain highly self-possessed, and aggressive (though I _will_ say the two creche-reared Red Tails I've had the pleasure of working with have, overall, been much better-tempered than others I worked with in the past). With all this in mind, I do not encourage novices to start their Falconry journey as a steward of a Red Tail. The ideal options for a new student of our Art form to take on as a feathered-companion - in my experienced opinion - are Lanner falcons, or Harris hawks. Both are mid-sized, "steady" (in terms of their overall disposition and personality), relatively easy-to-work-with species. Your Grandpa will probably admit that you really have to go out of your way to "get it wrong" in order to hurt a Lanner or Harris, and with the advantage of having someone who's experienced with working with both falcons and hawks, I'm confident you'd do a great job with both - or either, of these hunting companions. You'll learn confidence in lure-swinging for a Lanner falcon, and you'll learn the power of a hawk's feet in working with a Harris. Most importantly, you - yourself - will gain tremendous confidence and valuable experience by stewarding either of these birds-of-prey. After a couple of years of doing a good job with a fine hunting Harris, or a confident little Lanner, you'll be ready to take on a Red Tail. I'll ask you to trust me a little bit, my friend...build your personal skills and experience, have some adventures with a Lanner or Harris, and you'll do a much, _much_ better job with your Red Tail when its time to bring one into your life. Thanks again for inviting me to answer your question...have a wonderful day. Jo

Good evening Jaxon; Thank you so much for stopping in to the channel. I've heard the feelings you've expressed to me today from many new people who've begun their Falconry journey in the US; I'm utterly baffled by the administrative thinking - or lack thereof, behind the decision to limit novices to the species you've named. While I recognize and respect the tradition behind trapping one's own Feathered-companion from the wild, and all the time and patience which goes into the 'winning' of them, there is a great deal to be said for purchasing a parent-reared youngster from a *reputable* breeder. Parent-reared hawks, buzzards, and falcons, have no illusion as to their being a "little person with feathers" - they imprint on their parents when their eyes open, and know no other life but that of the breeding chamber prior to being sent to someone like you or I. They are the next best option to being _truly_ wild, and require considerable patience, respect, and the input of your time to "win" them too. I've shared the opinion with others, and I'll share the same conviction with you, that its time the Falconry community as a whole in the US started a campaign of revamping what options are available to novice-level Falconers. It is a fact - not my opinion, Kestrels - while being a "right of passage" Falconry bird in the UK, (and to some extent the US), ought *not* be so. Kestrels are fragile little falcons, and *can* go down in condition within hours in inexperienced hands. Likewise, Red Tail buzzards are most certainly *not* a beginner's bird. These are powerful, head-strong and unpredictable beings capable of inflicting incredible injuries in a lightening flash. Once a Red Tail knows they're "in your head", it becomes the proverbial steep mountain to climb to master one's self, and instill in them as much respect for you as you possess for them. As I've no experience with ever handling a Red-shouldered Hawk, I cannot speak to their disposition. Harris Hawks are indigenous to the United States, and ought to be an option on the list of possession for novice Falconers to learn with. They're of moderate size, and generally (and I'm speaking mainly of the males of the species here) possess an amenable personality. They make a great hunting companion, they're steady, (that is, not apt to go on the soar), and many, many people enjoy working with them. The fact is, one must *_really_* go out of one's way to "screw things up" with a Harris. Likewise, Lanner falcons are of medium size, fly at about half the speed of a Peregrine, (so its manageable learning how to swing the lure for a speedster like these), and they too are brave little hunters who seldom go on the soar, (one or two individuals I know of who managed to mess up this aspect of the relationship notwithstanding). A Lanner falcon is not going to _potentially_ perish in a matter of hours, as a Kestrel certainly can, and their physical toughness makes it possible to fly them in many climates. Harris Hawks and Lanner falcons are - deservedly - worthy candidates for a novice to begin his or her journey with. I definitely encourage you to write to your local Fish & Wildlife board, and - hopefully with your mentor's support, ask if you might sit with the people in charge to discuss what would need to happen for them to consider making a "test case" out of you becoming a Falconer with a Harris or Lanner as your companion. Do lots of research - get in touch with Falconers from the UK and Europe who've flown Lanners and Harris Hawks, and get help and insights from them you might share with your local permitting branch. The avalanche is presaged by the falling of a single pebble, Jaxon...I definitely encourage and challenge _you_ to be that pebble which brings worthwhile change to the Art of Falconry in your country. I'll look forward to your thoughts and updates - have a great evening...😉 Jo

Great question! I would get your hands on all the Falconry books you can possibly find, many of them are actually at the library (if not your local branch then they can possibly transfer them for you). The more research you can do will help you so much when you're first starting to Apprentice. Some of the books actually give you step by step instructions on how to make your own equipment so that is also a great way to learn, and again - when the time comes for you to make items for your companion then you'll have loads of practice. When I was first starting out I got inexpensive craft leather from the dollar store to practice with. Fun fun, when we picked up the new falcon Pfeiffer I had some of that leather left over and it totally saved our butts! :) -Leah

Good morning Wolfy! I'm so glad you're enjoying our channel - thank you for stopping in today. We're *definitely* going to continue sharing our adventures with "Team Feathers" - 'Season 2' starts tomorrow with a "Secret Life of..." episode, so I hope you'll be back to see it. I'm putting together a list of everything I have in my tool kits, and once its completed, I'll make the information available to everyone. If there's a wildlife rescue society near you, or a _reputable_ wildlife-park where they have a bird-of-prey exhibit, it might be an idea to see if you could get on as one of their volunteers to learn more about the day-to-day care raptors need from their human stewards. In the meantime, if you're _completely_ certain you want to get into Falconry, I'd encourage you to put a good "Eagle" gauntlet (a gauntlet which comes up to the elbow), and a 'working gauntlet' (slightly shorter for feeding your future companion) on your Christmas and birthday lists. Here's a link to the "working" gloves we typically use here at Falcon's Rest: www.mikesfalconry.com/BLACK-COWHIDE-15-INCH-LONG-FULL-CUFF-GLOVE-THREE-L-p/425a.htm And here's a listing for a great eagle-gauntlet: www.mikesfalconry.com/Buffalo-Cowhide-ealge-glove-LEFT-HAND-p/432a.htm Once you start studying with a mentor, some additional things you could put on your equipment "wish list" would be a half-hide of medium-weight kangaroo leather, "Acorn" bells (the good ones!), diamond-dust coping files, a 'self-healing' cutting mat (the dark green ones with the grid drawn on them - you can find these at the high-end arts & crafts stores), a good quality set of leather punches, good quality grommet-setters, and a couple of leather-cutting knives, (be *sure* to ask your mum or dad to help you with any cutting you do as these knives are _quite_ sharp). With these basic tools, you'll be able to make jesses and anklets, care for your companion's beak, carry and feed her (always best to have two gauntlets for this - one for manning, and one for feeding), and hear her when she's hiding up in a tree, or in some deep bushes. :0) Thanks again for stopping by, Wolfy - have a great weekend! Best, Jo

Thank u girls so much I live all the way I Florida and my family KNOWS I LOVE falconry. I'll definently use your recommendations on books and equipment on my wish list, and I am so exited for the next few videos!

Good morning TheHawkNerd; Thank you for your question - the regulations here in British Columbia are shamefully "lax"; the minimum requirements for housing, securing the Feathered under possession, and arguably most importantly, *knowledge, experience & training* , mean that pretty much any 16 year-old with an 8' x 8' "wooden box" in their back yard can obtain an Appendix I raptor, and a year later, an Appendix II raptor. I work to British standards, as that's where I was _formally_ trained. They've been doing it for most of the last two thousand years, so they've figured a few things out! 😊 I honestly don't know what Leah will be doing going forward; she has moved on to other endeavours. Thanks again for stopping in - great episode coming up this Sunday, so I'll be looking forward to hearing your feedback! Best, Jo

@@TheFalconLady Thanks! that answered my question! :)

Hello GG! Jo has purchased gloves from a variety of different sources over the years, Mike's Falconry Supplies and Westweald Falconry being the most recent! :) -leah

The Falcon Lady thank you so much ! i love your channel ❤️

Hi Jesse, great question! I can only speak from my personal experience working with Jo over the years - I would say meet up as much as you possibly can. The way I see it, is that you are basically exercising a muscle. The more practice that you put into Falconry the more you will get out, the most important thing that you have to learn their language of body language and that learning will never end. Because your are developing a relationship, you feel like you have to "start all over again" each time you pick it back up but that's normal. In the beginning I worked with Jo 2-3 days a week, then every day, and now I see her every month. If I were about to get a bird of my own, I would most certainly increase that to at least a couple times a week. I hope that gives you a little insight, please let us know if you have any other questions or episode requests! :) -Leah

The Falcon Lady thank you so much! I’ve found your videos much much more thorough and comprehensive than all the other falconry videos. It is clear than you are passionate and you love to teach others. Right now, I’m just reading, watching videos and gaining as much knowledge as I can before I even find a sponsor. I live in upstate NY btw.

That is a great place to start! If you are ever coming up to the Vancouver Canada area we often run beginner level falconry workshops :) -leah

Hello David! That's what I've heard! We are actually from British Columbia, Canada so you can get different raptors as a new falconer (there are different appendixes). I've noticed there are actually so many differences between states and provinces, where some will allow you to get a kestrel/red tail, some allow certain birds and Hawaii banned it all together. It makes you wonder why each state/province is so different! Thank you so much for watching! :) -Leah

@@TheFalconLady yes it is strange how much difference there is. And thanks for making all the videos me and my wife are interested in becoming a falconer so we are of course doing alot of research.

Fantastic David! We are looking forward to seeing you back for many more episodes to come, we're so grateful to be a part of your discovery of Falconry! :) -Leah

Also had a question pertaining to the fact that me and my wife both want to do it.is it better for us to each have our own bird or better to both train one bird together? I was leaning towards 2 birds because of any little difference In training might confuse the bird

You're _so_ right, Richard. Sadly, there's a bizarre philosophy, (particularly among people who ought to know better in the US) that novices/apprentices should rush their newly trapped companions into "hunting readiness" in a month's time. I've no idea where this originated, and I'm doing my best to throw my weight in the opposite direction of this wrong-headedness. There. Is. No. Rush. The Master himself (Frederick II) speaks against such behaviour, and wild-trapped companions were basically the only option in that time! Manning, manning, manning. And even just not handling them at all, some days, beyond attending to the basics with them, (either they, or you, can sometimes be in a completely useless headspace on occasion, and its best for all concerned if a distance is kept). Keep rockin', Richard! :0) Jo

Absolutely, Richard! Thank you so much for all your fantastic questions and comments - we love your enthusiasm and support! Have a wonderful evening and stay tuned for this Sunday! :) -leah

Good afternoon David; Thank you for your question. Able-bodied raptors of any stripe may be "hacked back" into the wild - provided they're fully versed in how to hunt. The truth is, regardless of whether a young falcon, hawk, owl, etc., is bred in the wild or in captivity, its the lack (or _potential_ lack) of hunting-related understanding which is often the deciding factor in whether they'll prosper under their own steam. A bird-of-prey doesn't know what's "good to eat" until its been taught as much. This is why upwards of 60% of young raptors fail to thrive past their first year of life - these individuals don't adequately put 'two-and-two' together - consistently enough, to provide for themselves, and thus, survive. This can be down to having young parent birds who aren't experienced-enough to be "good teachers", it can be down to competition in the nest (that is, lots of siblings jockeying for attention) which sufficiently distracts other youngsters from fully grasping...you'll pardon the pun, I'm sure...what the parent birds are trying to convey, or a host of other critical factors. So the short answer to your question is yes - a captive-bred raptor *can* be successfully introduced/returned-to the wild so long as they know how to feed themselves. The long answer...? Well, _that_ is a discussion unto itself. Perhaps we'll be invited by a rescue society to contribute to the schooling of a wild youngster deemed to be fit enough to re-released, someday. We'll definitely let everyone know if an opportunity like this presents itself. :0) Have a great weekend, Jo

@@TheFalconLady that's awesome and completely understandable. I was aware about alot of birds not making it in their own and also think it is awesome because of falconery that we are able to help save and recover some of the species of flacons and hawks. And also thanks for making these videos they are very informative and educational exspecially to someone who is looking into becoming a falconer.

Your a smart woman !!!!

Glad to see you back, Raden! :) -Leah

I understand the stressful feeling of taking a test of that level of importance for sure. I would only encourage you to trust your knowledge, your study material, learn as much as you possibly can, and ask loads of questions! There are no "stupid questions" in Falconry, it may be that you stumble across something that nobody else has and since you asked a question about it then it can be addressed. Definitely start with reaching out to local falconers in your area, and kindly asking them for a bit of their time - more folks want to pass on their knowledge than you realize! Best of luck, George, it's a tremendous journey along this 8,000+ year old art form that we are so grateful to be a part of :) -Leah

@@TheFalconLady alright thank you for the advice

Good afternoon Tator Tot; I know a great deal about "American" Falconry, and must respectfully disagree with you. It has been my experience - having witnessed _highly_ experienced individuals "getting it wrong" with Merlins, Kestrels, etc, that *no* new individual entering the practice of Falconry should take on one of the smaller raptors as a "beginner's bird". It is far too easy to kill such a fragile creature with ignorance. The reality is, their metabolism is so fast - their energy requirements _so_ specific, that without a tremendous amount of on-board knowledge and the ability to recognize when its going down in condition (which *can* happen within hours for Merlins or Kestrels), one can be staring at a dead, or nearly-dead raptor in a day. Additionally, such tiny hunters have the predictably "nervous" disposition one would expect; they must be handled with the utmost of care, which requires tremendous experience in reading their body-language, and knowing precisely how much - and how often - they must be fed. By contrast, one really - _really_ - has to go out of one's way to "get it wrong" with a mid-size falcon like a Lanner. The disposition and metabolism of these falcons is much, _much_ more forgiving than a tiny Merlin or Kestrel's; these guys (in my direct experience, and in seeing Falconers at both the Hawk Conservancy and Jemima Parry-Jones' centre working with them), are game for some flying nearly every day of the week, are agreeable during the process of 'winning' them, and fly at a manageable pace versus say, a Peregrine - which is definitely not a beginner's bird. Its a fact Lanners are great hunters, and have a range of quarry they can readily take. Such a companion builds the confidence and experience of a novice as they develop together. By contrast, a Red Tail buzzard is too dangerous a raptor for a new practitioner to take on as a first bird. Again, this is not merely my opinion, but that of _many_ of my mentors. Given Jemima has nigh on 70 years of experience, I don't believe you'd question her expertise in this regard...? Red Tails are capable of delivering incredible injuries, (recall the fact their talons deliver 800psi of crushing power at the tips). They're _particularly_ aggressive for their size, thus their success in the wild in virtually every niche in North America, save the sub-Arctic. A novice Falconer taking on a Red Tail without _constant_ supervision by an experienced practitioner is a recipe for injury - to one or both. It is simply a matter of when it will happen, not - necessarily "if". Again, Harris Hawks are amenable, easy-to-school raptors, and most definitely a good choice as a first hawk for a beginner. Its an unfortunate and ill-informed prejudice (created largely by Fish & Wildlife regulators who are themselves largely ignorant of what Falconry _is_ , much less "what makes an ideal first bird") which prohibits the taking-on of a captive-bred parent-reared Lanner, or Gyr x Peregrine as a potential first falcon. The historical equivalent of introducing a captive-bred raptor to a newby would be what was done in Frederick II's time; eyasses were sometimes taken from the nest and reared in much the same fashion as deliberately 'creche-rearing' captive-bred individuals. Creche-reared raptors know very well "what" they are (having imprinted on their parents once their eyes opened), but are "socialized" to a higher degree of tolerance for humans owing to having been taken at a very young age. Both of my Red Tails were creche-reared, and both 'Thorn' and 'Mohave' have been wonderful - for all their moments of unpredictability. Certainly a more optimal choice than a wild-caught mature Red Tail, in my view. While its true captive-bred parent-reared individuals are not "wild", they're a close facsimile, requiring an intense, dedicated and ongoing effort in order to "win" their trust; such youngsters have never seen a human being until the day comes for them to be shipped out to someone, (usually a stressful experience, given their lives to that point have been the relatively predictable confines of a breeding chamber with their parents). Speaking from experience, I can tell you a captive-bred, parent-reared individual is as similarly terrified by human beings as most wild-caught birds. In my view and experience, excluding captive-bred parent-reared raptors from being the potential first companion of a new practitioner is as narrow and short-sighted a blanket rule/regulation as they come. Thank you for the conversation, Jo

Good afternoon GG; Thank you for sharing your perspective. I would offer this counterpoint for your consideration: The reality is, the assignment of "Master" to too many individuals across the US has been, in a word, premature. Never mind "years" - a Master must have multiple *decades* of dedicated study and effort to their credit. Their understanding of the handling, stewardship and schooling of numerous birds of prey, inclusive of multiple forms of hunting across a diverse set of environments is what would be expected in the annals of historical conduct. It ought to go without saying. (but I'll state it here regardless), over their many decades of schooling Feathered charges, a Master would be known for _considerable_ hunting success, inclusive of having rarely lost a bird to premature death, escape, or flying away from the relationship. Many individuals sporting the moniker of "Master" in North America would _never_ have received this designation centuries ago. In point of fact, a recent example of horrific proportion has been brought to my personal attention, as has video and photographic evidence of their conduct beyond the eyes of the general public. This individual - somehow - obtained this designation, rendering the value of the word "Master" all but meaningless. For the record, it is also true too many individuals here in Canada - who've no business being associated with the word "Master", much less being worthy of the title, leverage this position within a regulatory system which is largely ignorant of what historical practice shows us - clearly - what conduct, knowledge and experience is required of such a position. There are few _true_ living Masters in Falconry on Earth today. This is just a fact. When young individuals, or other newcomers to this Art form are asking for your guidance, and for the privilege of learning what it is to become a Falconer, when they dedicate every spare waking moment to paying their dues, they _are_ compensating you. With. Their. Time. And while its true the teaching is heavily weighted at the front end of any instructional endeavour with a new student, its also a fact they take more and more of the "run of the mill" chores off our shoulders - which eat up the largest part of a teacher's day _every_ day. So I must forcefully disagree with your assertion that expecting monetary compensation from new students is appropriate. Being paid to lead Falconry-based courses or intensives is one thing. Expecting payment from individuals driving out to your location to learn the skills, responsibilities and traditions of this Art is, in my estimation, entirely inappropriate. Best, Jo

It sounds like you're mixing ancient times with today's society. A master 3000 years ago wouldn't have the wealth of information at their fingertips as they do today. Also to state that you cant charge to teach "newbies" but you can charge at a later date for more experienced classes also doesnt make sense. If it was 3000 years ago they would probably be handing it down to their children or family members. It's much different today. As you said it's a trade just like carpentry or electricians. Under those apprenticeships I still would have to pay or be paid. I understand your point, and I also appreciate it, but in today's world I dont think going off ancient principles is appropriate. Especially when a master falconer is given the title in 5 years nowadays.

@@thegg5097 Good evening GG; Allow me to be more pointedly specific. I indicated charging fees for offering courses to individuals who've no realistic ability to take up the practice, but who are (for example) passionate about birds-of-prey, and want to have an "experience" over a few hours, (or a couple of days), is one thing, charging a novice who has the time and who is - presumably, saving up the resources to _eventually_ get themselves into the Art _subsequent_ to receiving mentorship and guidance, is _quite_ another. Billing young men and women with a passion to learn, who are willingly giving of their time to do so is, in my view, unreasonably and exploitative. Falconry has been extant for over 8000 years; if you're unfamiliar with the contents of "The Art of Falconry", written in the mid 13th Century, I'd strongly encourage you to deeply acquaint yourself with its contents. From your comments here, my guess is you'll be rather astonished to discover how much depth of knowledge our predecessors actually possessed, so its crass to assert otherwise. Further to your point regarding the "wealth of information" available to modern day participants - particularly those calling themselves "Master", one would think it virtually impossible to find any excuse for poor stewardship practices, and yet, as I mentioned in my previous comment, there _are_ individuals with that very title who's birds are being kept in cells 18th Century criminals would've considered inhumane. As recently as three weeks ago I was sent photos and video evidence of this, and it isn't the first time such information has been brought to my attention. Five years is nowhere near long enough to earn "Master" status. An apprenticeship takes 4 years to complete in nearly every professional trade, ("co-op" trade programs do it in just under 3 years, however _those_ students are usually in programs for upwards of 10 months without a break to complete their apprenticeships more quickly). Journeymen trades-people must then prove their mettle for a further 2 - 4 more years before becoming "masters" in their chosen professions. When you go to a post-secondary trades program, you are paying for textbooks, supplies, tools, heat, light, and the ability to access a suite of instructors, (depending on the specific trade pursued). Ask most of those teachers if they're earning even close to the wages they did as tradesmen...then time how long they laugh before answering. Trades-instructors are often individuals who've retired from working as a carpenter, plumber, etc., but who have a wealth of knowledge to pass along - and who still have bills to pay. Students in trades-programs are paying their instructors to benefit from the many *decades* of working experience those men and women have acquired - in addition to a centralized location in which they can safely learn, and access other resources and supplementary classes in related aspects of their intended professions, (like electricians taking computer-programming classes). When a young person is coming to you to learn Falconry, many of them have little in the way of financial resources, and fewer still have the means to drive themselves to and from your location. Falconry is rarely the primary source of income for most modern practitioners - usually a "side-hustle" or pet pass-time. Most modern practitioners reside where their birds are located, have equipment (gauntlets, etc) on-hand owing to the fact they themselves need and use it, more often than not do _not_ provide written resources, study materials, or other supplementary opportunities for novices to learn from, (like introducing them to a veterinarian who specializes in raptors, and works with the Falconer to monitor the health of his charges, etc), and generally do _not_ offer the same intensive, dedicated instruction a trades-instructor in a post-secondary location would. As such, conflating the two modalities of teaching/learning is non-sequitur. Based on the kind of evidence I've seen, there's no doubt in my mind 5 years to be declared a "Master" in Falconry is utterly embarrassing. One has scarcely scratched the surface of what Falconry _is_ in 5 years - the idea one could be considered a Master in so short a duration is laughable. Our predecessors provided lodgings, (often a freezing cold cot in the loft of "his lordship's" barn, but nonetheless, a place to sleep), food, and the "tools" of Falconry to their apprentices; in exchange, those apprentices bore the brunt of the most inglamorous aspects of the work in order to _earn_ their way into the Guild, and thence, into a noble - paying - position. Apprentices "paid" with their time - their presence. Days, and weeks, and months, and years of their time. Apprentices contributed by lifting the chores and - necessary, but time-consuming aspects of Falconry from their Master's shoulders. This was not strictly a "father to son" arrangement - far from it! As with all trades in times long past, children of tradesmen often took up their parent's practice, however almost as many non-related "canny" young people won places as apprentices. This is a fact. Ours _is_ an ancient Art-form, and we must continue to be guided by its traditions. It is entirely appropriate to use those practices as the tested, well-established guideposts that they are. Best, Jo

@@anamenamename Good evening Kevdude: We are in complete agreement - I'm incredibly happy to hear your instructor had the humility to know her learning would continue long into the future, and that she was self-possessed enough and humble enough to acknowledge this to you. These are the very _best_ kind of teachers! I've offered an "Intro to Falconry" course for several years now (not every year, but when I can), and my best assistants - many of whom have become dear friends, started out by paying to have an "experience", then found they wanted to learn more. They made the effort to come spend time with me, (which is considerably more challenging for some of them now!), and while we're together, I do my best to help them progress and deepen their understanding of the tradition-informed practices of this Art. We do "in-services" when possible - maybe learning to do coping, equipment-making, learning to turn the lure, etc., but I've never charged fees for this. The way I personally look at it, they paid to take the course with me, now they're giving of their time, dedication, respect and focus, the least I can do is expand their knowledge. Were I located closer to the Lower Mainland (Greater Vancouver area), and offering courses on a semi-regular basis to a greater number of individuals merely looking for an "experience", I might consider charging a fee for "follow-up" modules to the 2-day course, so I have an open mind about the concept. Charging a young person or other individuals who is giving me the benefit of their time and dedication is unfair and exploitative, in my view. Thanks again - I hope you enjoyed this weekend's episode. :0) Best, Jo

I appreciate your insight but I cant justify spending $150 on something written in the 13th century especially when I'm not a falconer. Modern day falconry isnt the same as it was back then. That goes for pretty much anything in life today when you compare it to something from the 13th century. What I mean by that is anything I want to learn about today I could go trace it back to where it originated but is it necessary? I guess it depends who you ask or what you're trying to get out of it. 🤷‍♂️

Very interesting! That is very similar to British Columbia, Canada! Did you learn from another falconer? :) -Leah

The Falcon Lady from my father

Good afternoon Stephen; Thanks for stopping in to the channel. The individual who's face is blurred out is no longer involved with our work here at Falcon's Rest. She "no longer wished to appear" in our videos, so now she doesn't. Best, Jo

Good afternoon Barry; My former assistant no longer wished to appear in videos on my channel. Now she doesn't. Best, Jo