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What Is Falconry?

Falconry is the practice of hunting wild game using trained birds of prey — falcons, hawks, eagles, and sometimes owls. It’s one of the oldest hunting methods still practiced, with archaeological evidence suggesting humans have been partnering with raptors for at least 4,000 years. UNESCO recognized it as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010, and about 100,000 people practice it worldwide today.

Ancient Origins

The earliest evidence of falconry comes from Central Asia, probably around 2000 BCE. Mongolian and Kazakh nomads were likely the first to train raptors, using golden eagles to hunt foxes and even wolves on the steppe. The tradition is still alive — Kazakh eagle hunters (berkutchi) in western Mongolia continue to hunt with golden eagles weighing up to 15 pounds.

Falconry spread along trade routes to Persia, the Arab world, Europe, and East Asia. In medieval Europe, it became an obsession among the nobility. The type of bird you could fly indicated your social rank: kings flew gyrfalcons, earls flew peregrine falcons, priests flew sparrowhawks, and servants (if they flew anything) were limited to kestrels. The phrase “under your thumb” may have originated from the way falconers held their bird’s jesses.

In the Arab world, falconry was and remains deeply embedded in culture. The falcon appears on the coat of arms of the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have falcon hospitals — the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital treats over 11,000 birds annually. Some prized falcons sell for over $1 million.

How It Works

Training a falcon isn’t like training a dog. Dogs are domesticated animals bred to bond with humans. Raptors are wild predators that tolerate humans because the arrangement benefits them. The relationship is transactional — you provide food and hunting opportunities, the bird sticks around.

The process starts with “manning” — getting the bird accustomed to human presence. A new bird sits on the falconer’s gloved fist for hours, gradually learning that the human means food, not danger. This takes days or weeks depending on the species.

Next comes training to the lure — a weighted decoy swung on a line that mimics prey. The bird learns to fly to the lure for a food reward, building fitness and reinforcing the return-to-handler behavior. Then comes hunting with live quarry.

Weight management is critical and controversial. Falconers keep their birds at a precise flying weight — heavy enough to be healthy and strong, light enough to be motivated to hunt. This requires daily weighing and careful feeding. Done properly, the bird is in peak condition. Done poorly, it’s cruel. This is why most countries require apprenticeship and licensing.

The Birds

Different species suit different hunting styles and quarry.

Red-tailed hawks are the standard beginner’s bird in North America. They’re large, relatively calm, and willing to hunt a range of prey from rabbits to squirrels. They’re also abundant and well-suited to the varied terrain beginners encounter.

Harris’s hawks are unique among raptors because they naturally hunt in cooperative groups — like a pack of wolves with wings. This makes them exceptionally social and relatively easy to train. Multiple falconers can fly Harris’s hawks together, which is unusual in falconry.

Peregrine falcons are the showstoppers. They hunt birds in flight, diving from great heights in a “stoop” that can exceed 240 mph — making them the fastest animal on Earth. Watching a peregrine fold its wings and plummet toward a duck is one of the most spectacular sights in nature.

Goshawks are the classic European falconry bird. Fast, agile, and extremely effective in woodland terrain, they’re also notoriously difficult to train. Medieval falconers called them “the cook’s bird” because they were the most reliable providers of game for the table.

Falconry and Conservation

Here’s something most people don’t realize: falconry saved the peregrine falcon from extinction. When DDT pesticide thinned raptor eggshells in the mid-20th century, peregrine populations crashed. By the 1970s, there were zero breeding pairs in the eastern United States.

Falconers led the recovery effort. The Peregrine Fund, founded by falconer Tom Cade at Cornell University in 1970, developed captive breeding techniques and released over 6,000 peregrines into the wild. The species was removed from the Endangered Species List in 1999. Without the expertise falconers had accumulated over centuries, those breeding programs wouldn’t have been possible.

Modern falconers also contribute to wildlife monitoring, raptor rehabilitation, and habitat conservation. Because they work intimately with wild birds, they often notice population changes before official surveys catch them.

Modern Practice

Today’s falconry looks different from medieval hunting parties, but the core remains the same: a human and a trained raptor, hunting together. Most modern falconers hunt on weekends, spending far more time on bird care, training, and preparation than on actual hunting.

The equipment has evolved — telemetry transmitters attached to birds prevent losses, and GPS tracking provides real-time location data. But the basic tools — the leather glove, the hood that keeps the bird calm, the jesses (leather straps on the legs), and the bells — have been essentially unchanged for centuries.

Getting into falconry is deliberately difficult. In the U.S., the two-year apprenticeship requirement ensures beginners learn from experienced mentors. You need suitable land, proper facilities, and the dedication to care for a bird every single day — no weekends off, no vacations without arranging care.

Why People Do It

Falconry isn’t efficient. You can buy chicken at a grocery store. The appeal is something harder to articulate — the partnership with a wild animal that chooses to work with you but could leave anytime. There’s no leash. Every time you release your bird, it’s a genuine decision by both parties.

Falconers often describe it as the most honest form of hunting. The bird hunts because it wants to. The prey has a fair chance of escape (most hunts fail). And you’re operating within the same natural system your species has participated in for thousands of years. That connection — ancient, visceral, and unrepeatable in any other activity — is what keeps people coming back.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is falconry legal?

In the United States, yes, but it's heavily regulated. You need federal and state permits, must pass a written exam, have your facilities inspected, and serve a two-year apprenticeship under a licensed falconer. Other countries have varying regulations — falconry is banned in some places and celebrated as cultural heritage in others.

What birds are used in falconry?

Common species include red-tailed hawks (especially for beginners in North America), Harris's hawks (which naturally hunt cooperatively), peregrine falcons (the fastest animal on Earth at over 240 mph in a dive), and goshawks. The choice depends on the quarry, terrain, and the falconer's experience level.

Do falconry birds come back to the falconer?

Yes, but not because they're domesticated. Falconry birds are trained wild animals that return because the falconer provides a reliable food source. The bird is kept at a precise flying weight where it's motivated to hunt but healthy enough to fly well. If conditions change, the bird can and will leave — falconers lose birds every season.

Further Reading

• UNESCO — Falconry, a Living Human Heritage
• The Peregrine Fund
• North American Falconers Association