Agressiveness

[Bill St.Clair]

Hi, I'm just getting into the world of falconry, I'm about to take my exam
and seek a sponsor. I have a few questions that I can't seem to get
answered. There are very few falconers in my part of Indiana so all the
information I've gathered has come from reading websites and your posts. My
first question is about the aggresiveness of a fresh trapped redtail or
kestrel. Redtails look like they could take a finger off with very little
effort. Are they prone to attack or do they just mellow right out. I think a
bird of that size next to my face would incline me to put on a pair of
safety goggles..lol.

Second question is, I have 3 little girls all under the age of 6. Would
their constant squeeling and playing like little girls do cause alot of
stress on a hawk or do they take well to noise? Any information would be
greatly appreciated..

[Andrea Chen]

Post by Bill St.Clair
Redtails look like they could take a finger off with very little
effort. Are they prone to attack or do they just mellow right out. I think a
bird of that size next to my face would incline me to put on a pair of
safety goggles..lol.

Hi Bill,
In those first few days/weeks, quite the opposite from what you've
been led to believe: that bird is totally terrified of you. The
bird's trying to get away from you and can't. Later you'll learn to
see the difference between true aggression and fear. You'll be taking
advantage of those first few days to get the bird used to the hood and
all that.

Passage birds are generally polite around their feet, but as long as
you make sure she doesn't see your hand approaching with food. Try to
avoid making the same motion (arms, body, looks) when digging the
tidbit out - they will pick up on that. Fake her out by regularly
getting your free hand in the vicinity of her feet: just doing normal
stuff like adjusting anklets, checking under her toes for scars or
bumblefoot. Once she realizes that your free hand, approaching in a
particular way, brings food, she'll want to speed the process up and
GRAB!

Post by Bill St.Clair
Second question is, I have 3 little girls all under the age of 6. Would
their constant squeeling and playing like little girls do cause alot of
stress on a hawk or do they take well to noise? Any information would be
greatly appreciated..

Redtails are pretty durable creatures, which is why they're so
successful. Introduce the bird to the girls, or the girls to the
bird, slowly, cautioning them against making too much noise or being
too crazy for the first couple days. Set yourself up, to a degree, as
the bird's protector: if you see the bird getting nervous, lift her up
high so she'll feel safer.

-andrea-

[Bill St.]

Andrea,
Thank you very much for the reply. I am getting ready to schedule my exam
and searching hard for plans for mews on the internet, that is one less
thing to wonder about..thanks again

Post by Andrea Chen

Post by Bill St.Clair
Redtails look like they could take a finger off with very little
effort. Are they prone to attack or do they just mellow right out. I think a
bird of that size next to my face would incline me to put on a pair of
safety goggles..lol.

Hi Bill,
In those first few days/weeks, quite the opposite from what you've
been led to believe: that bird is totally terrified of you. The
bird's trying to get away from you and can't. Later you'll learn to
see the difference between true aggression and fear. You'll be taking
advantage of those first few days to get the bird used to the hood and
all that.
Passage birds are generally polite around their feet, but as long as
you make sure she doesn't see your hand approaching with food. Try to
avoid making the same motion (arms, body, looks) when digging the
tidbit out - they will pick up on that. Fake her out by regularly
getting your free hand in the vicinity of her feet: just doing normal
stuff like adjusting anklets, checking under her toes for scars or
bumblefoot. Once she realizes that your free hand, approaching in a
particular way, brings food, she'll want to speed the process up and
GRAB!

Post by Bill St.Clair
Second question is, I have 3 little girls all under the age of 6. Would
their constant squeeling and playing like little girls do cause alot of
stress on a hawk or do they take well to noise? Any information would be
greatly appreciated..

Redtails are pretty durable creatures, which is why they're so
successful. Introduce the bird to the girls, or the girls to the
bird, slowly, cautioning them against making too much noise or being
too crazy for the first couple days. Set yourself up, to a degree, as
the bird's protector: if you see the bird getting nervous, lift her up
high so she'll feel safer.
-andrea-

[Andrea Chen]

Post by Bill St.
Andrea,
Thank you very much for the reply. I am getting ready to schedule my exam
and searching hard for plans for mews on the internet, that is one
less thing to wonder about..thanks again

I'm not sure that's going to be easy to find on the net. However if you
get yourself a copy of "Falconry Equipment" by Kimsey and Hodge they have
a good discussion on mews and why you want to do this or that.

Build a room of the minimum dimensions specified by your department of
F&G/G&F/DNR. Ensure that NOTHING will snag your bird's jesses or abrade
feathers. Put in at least 1 east-facing window with wooden or pvc
vertical bars (if you have large chewing wild animals, you may want to
use metal). Put in 2 perches sized appropriately for RT feet; one
covered in astroturf and the other branchlike plain wood. Perches should
be no higher than your armpit level. One of the perches should be
located by the window and a few inches above the bottom edge of the
window. Your flooring should be easy to clean, unconducive to mold or
bacterial buildups, and dry quickly after hosing. That's your basic
minimum mews. Wise falconers will also add an outer room or some method
so your freelofting bird won't escape straight out the door.

Elaborations include windows that can be covered (darkening the mews
fully), a food chute (so you can feed your bird during the molt without
it associating your arrival with food), lighting (covered and protected),
video cameras...

Flooring is a big long argument with falconers. Some are fine with pea
gravel, others have found it abrades redtail feet especially when the
bird is new and wants to jump out the window and lands on the floor
instead. Sand also has the same complaint. People seem to be fairly
pleased with rubber gym mats and long blade astroturf (if you can get a
big piece). I personally like 1" slats spaced 1/2" apart, though that
means a second (solid) floor underneath that is tilted or has some kind
of draining method.

-andrea-
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