falconry-msg - 4/22/05

Keeping and flying birds of prey. Period falconry.

NOTE: See also these files: p-falconry-bib, fowls-a-birds-msg, hunting-msg, 
leather-msg, feathers-msg, rabbits-msg.

************************************************************************
NOTICE -

This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I  have 
collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date 
back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.

This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These 
files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org

I  have done  a limited amount  of  editing. Messages having to do  with 
separate topics  were sometimes split into different files and sometimes 
extraneous information was removed. For instance, the  message IDs  were removed 
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The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make  
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Thank you,
    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous
                                          Stefan at florilegium.org
************************************************************************

From: hrjones at uclink.berkeley.edu (Heather Rose Jones)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: falconry anyone?
Date: 5 Oct 1994 05:37:34 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley

ROBERT E. TYX (v114qgb5 at ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu) wrote:
: Is there anyone here at Rialto into falconry?  (preferably in Western NY)
: I am interested in what is involved in it.. 

Lots and lots of hard work and the same level of responsibility and 
commitment as you would (I hope) bring to taking care of a child. Back 
when I was in college I spend three years working for the UC Davis Raptor 
Rehabilitation Center, so I know something of what's involved. Most of 
the legal regulation is on the Federal level (Department of Fish and 
Wildlife, I believe), so that's a place to start. The basic schema is 
this: you find a licensed falconer and convince him/her to take you on as 
a pupil. You learn how to handle and train a bird. You take (and pass) a 
test on the care and handling of birds of prey. Then you build your 
facilities for keeping a bird and have them inspected. Then you can think 
about obtaining your own bird. (This is just a rough outline of the 
process.)

When I trained hawks for the rehab center, I spent maybe two hours a day 
on it. Every day. I'm not trying to discourage you -- falconry can be 
very exciting and rewarding (and frustrating, and depressing ...) -- but 
you should realize that a hawk involves much more work than, say, having 
a dog, although at least slightly less than a newborn baby. (Unless, of 
course, you obtain your hawk as a nestling, in which case the newborn 
baby analogy gets a bit closer.)

Starting point: write to your nearest Fish and Wildlife Department office 
and ask for the name of a licensed falconer in your area.

Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn


Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: rzex60 at email.sps.mot.com (Jay Brandt)
Subject: Re: falconry anyone?
Organization: The Polyhedron Group
Date: Wed, 5 Oct 1994 18:25:30 GMT

In article <Cx4JDz.7Kr at acsu.buffalo.edu>, v114qgb5 at ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu
(ROBERT E. TYX) wrote:

> Is there anyone here at Rialto into falconry?  (preferably in Western NY)
> I am interested in what is involved in it.. 

Well, I'm in central Texas, but as it happens, my Lady and I are about to
embark on the same quest -- to become Falconers. We recently made contact
with the 'Texas Hawking Association', and are in the process of joining
said organization. Last weekend, at the Texas Wildlife Expo in Austin, we
spoke with about a dozen licenced Falconers and falconry apprentices. Here
is some of what we learned.

In the USA, all raptors are 'Protected Species'. This means that from the
Bald Eagle to the Sparrow Hawk, if it is a bird that eats meat or fish, by
killing the prey itself, or as a scavenger, it falls under this protection.
Eagles, Hawks, Falcons, Vultures and Owls are all raptors. Being a
protected species means you can't legaly shoot or kill them, shoo them out
of nests, or in any way harm these birds. If a barn owl takes up residence
in your duck blind, the best you can do is to put up a suitable nesting box
nearby, in hopes he will move there on his own. It's even illegal to own
their feathers, as there is no way to prove that you didn't kill the bird
to get the feathers. (I believe Native Americans have an exception to the
'feathers' rule).

To work with Raptors in the USA, the federal government requires that you
have a federal permit to do so. Most, if not all, state governments also
require you to hold a state permit. I have not yet determined the extent of
the process of obtaining those permits, but my preliminary questions
indicated that the process usually involves a period of apprenticeship to a
licensed Falconer.

Falconry has changed from a sport of kings and princes to a conservation
effort. When a sick or injured raptor is found, it is eventually taken to a
licensed Falconer. They do everything they can to rehabilitate the bird for
eventual release back into the wild. Birds that can not be released, such
as ones that are blind or which can't fly, are maintained more or less as
pets, and are often used in public education presentations (like the
Wildlife Expo we attended).

We are but fledgelings in this quest, with much to learn. As I find out
more on US Falconry, I'll try to post the information here.

> Email me!
> Robert -    v114qgb5 at ubvmsa.cc.buffalo.edu

I shall send Robert an e-mail copy of this as well.
-- 
Regards, Jay Brandt --- Austin, Texas, USA --- <rzex60 at email.sps.mot.com>
In the SCA, HLS Jason of Rosaria, JdL, GdS, AoA --------- (Member # 3016)
Owner / Designer / Craftsman ------------------------- Bear Paw Woodworks


From: torin.ironbrow at sfnet.COM
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: RE: FALCONRY ANYONE?
Date: 4 Oct 1994 16:40:26 -0400
Organization: SF NET San Francisco's Coffee House Connection

I am sorry but I don't know of anybody who is into falconry on the Rialto or in
NY, but the Falconry Guild (of the West right now, but I believe they are
looking for members anywhere) is located in my local group.  Here's the info.
Morgan the Falconer
(Morgan Campbell)
100 Bayo Vista Way #21
San Rafael, CA 94901
415-457-7572 (6-8pm Western Time mon-fri)
                        In Service
                             Torin


From: silvhawk at aol.com (Silvhawk)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: FALCONRY ANYONE?
Date: 5 Oct 1994 08:11:02 -0400

torin.ironbrow at sfnet.COM writes:

Although not YET a falconer myself (yes I want DESPERATELY to be one) I
have worked with a  falconer this summer and can tell some of the basics to
attaining your own license.

To be come a licensed falconer in the state of NY and most other states in
the US you need to do the following things:

     1)  Find a licensed falconer willing to train you (not an easy thing
because most will require that you want more than to walk around with a
bird of prey on your fist.
     2)  Pass a written exam with a score of at minimum 80%.
     3)  Attain the equipment you will need to care for your bird (you are
only allowed one bird at any time during your apprentice period). 
This means setting up a weathering yard, Mews, getting the scales, jesses
(sp?), and other items that caring for your bird will require.
     4)  Having your equipment and the area you will be using to care for
your bird inspected by the government to ensure that it is up to standards
(this will be done on a regular basis according to lady with whom I
worked).
     5)  Once these conditions have been met you will be granted an Apprentice
          license which is the level you will stay at for the first two years.
     6)  After two years you can apply for a Journeyman's (also called General) 
          license which is the level you will stay at for the next five years.
     7)  After the previously mentioned seven years you can apply for your
Masters license.

That is a rough outline of the steps needed to become a falconer.

The lady I worked with this summer has been a falconer for 20 years.  She
travels the Renn. Festival circuit doing shows and has received a dispensation
to care for two extra birds (masters are allowed three birds at any time).
 She has three Peregrin Falcons and two Harris Hawks.  She strongly encouraged
me to seek out a master and get my license.

I love working with the birds even after having one of the hawks decide to
test the sharpness of his talons by putting one of them through my glove and
thumb to the bone.

Falconry, as Kitty would tell you, is not a master/slave relationship
(although sometimes the birds make you feel like the slave end of the deal).  
It's a partnership where the bird allows you to assist in the hunt and enjoy the
beauty of their flight.

I appologize for babbling, but this is something I VERY passionate about
and can't help myself at times.

Sincerly,
Cailean Carmichael

MKA:  Kevin P. Pelletier
Silvhawk at aol.com


Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: hlf at holmes.acc.Virginia.EDU (H L. Falls)
Subject: Re: FALCONRY ANYONE?
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Sat, 8 Oct 1994 15:44:17 GMT

Quoth Willow:

>Y'know, I thought about getting into falconry (like I need another hobby)
>to save the lives of birds of prey that have had wings too damaged to
>allow their release into the wild. They are often destroyed because the
>wildlife groups who get them can't find homes for them, and so I wanted to
>get a falconer's license to keep them (needed for Fish & Game laws, etc.).
>Unfortunately, falconry is a form  of hunting, and I'm a vegetarian. I
>couldn't bear to watch a rabbit get torn up alive like that just to get a
>license to keep cage-bound birds. Just my $.02. Still sound interesting,
>though.
>
>-Willow (Craig's wife)

   Well, as best I remember (it's been several years since my ex-wife
volunteered at the Virginia Wildlife Center) the birds were usually
fed mice that were received refridgerated/frozen (lab supply surplus,
I believe).  The only time live animals were used was in final "flight
school" for birds that were healed and being re-trained for release
to the wild.  Of course they _are_ carnivores, so they do have to be
fed meat, but the meat doesn't have to be alive.  Don't know if this
makes a difference, personal sensibilities (and sensitivity) vary...
(I'd also be surprised if you would have to train/hunt birds to get
a license to keep injured birds, but govt regs seldom make sense.)

Yours in service --
==============================================================================
Landi Haraldsson                    Landon Falls
Shire of Isenfir, Atlantia          Charlottesville, VA, USA
                                    hlf at virginia.edu
==============================================================================


From: donna.yandle at lightspeed.com (Donna Yandle) 
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: FALCONRY ANYONE?
Date: 13 Oct 94 00:28:00 GMT
Organization: Faster-Than-Light, Atlanta GA USA, +1 404 292 8761

HLF> Well, as best I remember (it's been several years since my ex-wife
HLF> volunteered at the Virginia Wildlife Center) the birds were usually
HLF> fed mice that were received refridgerated/frozen (lab supply surplus,
HLF> I believe).

I believe that you can give them already-cut-up meat, a friend of mine has a
story of when she wandered too close to the aviary while carrying a red
pillow she had just finished sewing. The bird thought it was food and nabbed
it through the cage. (birdie logic- it was red, she feeds me, she feeds me
red food, so this must be food!)


From: derek.broughton at onlinesys.com (DEREK BROUGHTON)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: animals/pets
Date: Fri, 23 Jun 95 07:12:00 -300
Organization: Online Systems Of Canada

richt at seagate.mfg.sgi.com (rich templeman) wrote:

RT>     I can't bring my hawk, nor can my lady bring ber falcon to Pensic
RT>because of these rules.  Too bad.  I would have to find another licensed
RT>falconer to take care of my bird if I was to go to Pensic nowdays.

I'm not sure you can blame the SCA or Coopers for that.  I talked
to a falconer (with a Red Tail) at Pennsic last year, and got the
impression that the difficulties were with state regulation - one
such required that he stay in an air-conditioned motel rather
than on-site.  However, since he was on the road, not actually on
site, I have no idea if he would have been denied access anyway.

Coryn llith Rheged                 |  Canton of Wessex Mere
mka Derek Broughton                |  Barony of Ramshaven
derek.broughton at onlinesys.com      |  Principality of Ealdormere
                                   |  Middle Kingdom


From: hrjones at uclink.berkeley.edu (Heather Rose Jones)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: falconry
Date: 4 Nov 1995 19:32:30 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley

IM Kestrel (imkestrel at aol.com) wrote:
: I would like to find some fellow falconers in the society.  Especially
: interested  learning about falconry as practiced by the celts, and hood
: styles, etc.  Can anyone out there help me?

Which "celts"? There are some interesting passages on falconers and 
falconry in the medieval Welsh laws (possibly similar bits in Irish law, 
but I'm not as familiar with the corpus). But asking about how the 
"celts" did something presupposes a cultural homogeneity among the Celtic 
peoples that simply didn't exist.

Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn


From: Morgan Campbell <morgan at nbn.com>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: falconry
Date: 7 Nov 1995 02:35:35 GMT
Organization: North Bay Network, Inc. news server - not responsible for content

Hello imkestrel,                                                 
My name 
is Morgan the Falconer and I am chancelor of the West kingdom Falconers 
Guild.As far as practicing falconers in the society,I know of seven,four 
of them are here,one in Caid,one in Atenveldt,and one in the Middle 
kingdom.As of yet I have not seen any books or manuscripts that talk 
about celtic falconers.All of the period documentation on falconry that 
I have seen talks about Falconry as practiced by Nobles from about the 
eleventh century on.I have also seen modern books that discuss 
Chinese,Japanese,Egyptian,and Russian falconry.But so far nothing about 
how the celtic peoples may have practiced falconry.I would say that they 
probably flew whatever was around until the sumptuary laws where 
passed.As far as hood paterns go the only one that I have seen that has 
a date is from the sixteenth century and is a one piece pattern that 
looks like an anglo indian hood when put together.The pattern and a 
picture of two sixteenth century hoods are in (The Art of Falconry)wich 
was written by Emperor Frederick the second and it is avalible as a 
translated book from the Stanford University Press though it might be 
out of print.Please mail me back and tell me what kingdom you are in.   

                      In service to the Kingdom of the West.            
                              Morgan the Falconer


From: rhys at zip.io.org (Ian Klinck)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Falconry
Date: 21 Feb 1996 17:23:52 -0500
Organization: Internex Online (shell.io.org), Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Hi!  A friend of mine asked me to post the following message to the 
Rialto.  Communication CAN be routed through me, but, if possible, please 
contact her directly through the address listed below...
-------

  I am a practicing falconer with a degree in medieval history.  My 
senior thesis was on Falconry in Medieval Europe, with specific regard to 
obtaining, training, and equipping birds of prey.
  If anyone would like information, or a copy of the paper, bibliography, 
etc., please contact me.  If anyone would like to talk contemporary 
falconry, give me a shout.

        Lady Aveline de la Rose
          Tanya Couch
          338 Sackville St.
          Toronto, ON
           M5A 3G3


From: "Dennis O'Connor" <dmoc at primenet.com>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Desperately seeking Falconry Laurels...
Date: 12 Sep 1996 23:01:01 -0700

Tireachan <alphafem at cyberhighway.net> wrote:
> I am on a quest and I need your assistance.  Does anyone know if there 
> are any falconry laurels in the SCA, and if so how may I get in touch 
> with them.  I would be especially interested in hearing from any from 
> Atenveldt.  Any clues you can give would be helpful.  Thanks

If you can contact Master Arik Altune, he's quite knowledgable
about falconry (he has trained a very pretty red tail hawk) and is 
a Laurel. Of course, the Laurel is not exclusively for falconry, but 
if anyone knew of someone having a Laurel for Falconry, it would be 
Master Arik. He also, if memory serves, a Pelican and a Master at Arms,
as well as being a Viscount.  He is also just one very nice person,
much admired and well thought-of throughout the Aten lands.

Sorry, I don't have an address or phone number handy.


From: seaanmcay at aol.com (SeaanMcAy)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Falconry groups or guilds
Date: 29 Oct 1997 19:17:07 GMT

   The West Kingdom has a Falconer's guild.  Contact the guildmaster Morgan the
 Falconer for more details at "morgan at nbn.com".  I'm happy to say that last
 month Morgan was inducted into the order of the Larual.  He is quite an expert
 on the subject, and is a nice guy too.

Seaan McAy    Caer Darth; Darkwood; Mists; West  (Santa Cruz, CA)
mckay_michael at tandem.com or seaanmcay at aol.com


Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 17:52:58 -0700
From: "James F. Johnson" <seumas at mind.net>
Subject: Re: SC - Re: what hawks eat

Ian Gourdon wrote:
> There was a performer with hawks and falcons at a Ren faire near
> Gwyntarian, a couple years ago, and he fed them little rewards in the
> form of baby chicken bits. Historically, they may have fed them parts
> from the previously killed. In any case, he did say that hawks liked
> ground animals, and falcons went after other birds...

Er...yes and no. Falcons do eat other birds, usually while both predator and 
prey are flying. One exception is the Kestrel, which hovers above the ground, 
then dives onto a small rodent. True hawks, like Sharp-shinned Hawks, Cooper's 
Hawks, and Goshawks (God flies a Gos!) also hunt mostly birds, but are ambush 
hunters, hiding in trees and bushes, darting out in sudden flight dashes or 
circuitous routes around trees and bushes. One interesting technique is to put
a loop around the neck of these birds to hold them horizontal, then launch them 
off the glove like a fighterplane off a carrier. These birds are suited 
temperamentally for such sudden launchings. Eagles and buteo 'hawks' (sometimes 
called buzzards) like red-tailed hawks are the mammal eaters, soaring high in 
the sky (these are the ones' you'll see usually), then diving down to the ground 
after rabbits, rats, mice, weasels, etc. Actually, they dive to a spot away
from the prey, then fly in low (I do mean low--less than a foot from the ground, 
using the high pressure between the ground and the wings as a cushion of lift) 
out of sight from the prey until the last moment.  Ironically, Red-tails were 
known as 'chicken hawks' when they'd much rather go after the rats and small 
mammals eating the chicken feed than the chickens. If a raptor got a chicken, it 
probably was one of those Cooper's sitting in that leafy bush over
there, squinting her eyes so you can see them while she scans the chicken yard 
for a hidden flight path.

Traditionally, the reward has been little bits of meat in a belt pouch, placed 
on the glove. The bird is never allowed to eat it's kill, rather is conditioned 
to expect a bit of meat off the glove after the kill. This is to discourage the 
bird from attempting to escape with it's prey or fight you off when you show up, 
and to encourage the bird back to your glove. Basically, the bird is a free 
agent until she lands back on your glove and you take the jesses. In
small amounts, it shouldn't matter for most birds if it's mammal or bird meat 
they're eating. A prairie/peregrine falcon I worked with was quite happy with 
little mice bits. It's their regular diet that should match their wild 
preference. When it comes down to it, all predators tend to be opportunistic or 
scavengers. Aside from H. sapiens, that is.

Outside of ornithological (bird watchers and biologists)  types, falconers and 
hawkers, not many people know the distinction between falcons, true hawks, and 
buteos.

Seumas dubh


Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 00:14:16 -0700
From: "James F. Johnson" <seumas at mind.net>
Subject: Re: SC - period falconry info

> Actually, I wonder if this has to do with not rupturing the abdominal
> cavity, which, I gather, affects the ability to hang the game. How does
> a hawk despatch small game? Or does it just pick it up it bring it in
> alive? I know birds of prey tend to disembowel small mammals pretty
> quickly, but I'm not sure what their training imposes upon their nature.
> Has anybody done any hawking?
>
> Adamantius

Raptors, as most predators do, tend to go for the easier soft tissue of the
abdomen and the accessible flesh of the limbs first. Those with strong jaws,
such as canines and felines, may proceed to eat the entire animal (pumas I've
known were quite fond of deer heads, bone and all). Raptors tend to lack strong
bone-crushing mandibles, and thus tend to tear apart their prey, centered around
the abdomen and the flight muscles of birds.
Falcons attack prey by striking it in flight, then either catching the stunned
or dead bird in a rebound loop, or following it to the ground and then mantling
it. This is the point that the falconer would try to glove the bird before it
had a chance to eat (also keeping the bird hungry means the bird keeps hunting).
Hawks and buteos tend to puncture their prey with those nice sharp talons, that
might puncture internal organs and major arteries. Most prey I've seen tends to
go into a form of shock once it's captured, and doesn't struggle. Distress calls
and struggling encourage the raptor to tighten down (personal experience tells
me not to squeak like a mouse the next time I might have a Great Horned Owl on
my gloved hand.....).

Raptors cannot fly off with prey unless it's quite small relative to the raptor.
Most have difficulty flying off after they've eaten, and will seek out a
suitable perch to rest and digest. Once they've got their prey, they will mantle
it (cover it with their wings so other animals don't see it--they can catch it,
but they can't defend it well), bending their head down between their wings to
eat the prey still within their talons. If it's small enough to fly up into a
tree or cliff, they might do that, to avoid ground interference.

Generally, a falconer or hawker would want the biggest game his/her bird can
take and won't release it unless there is one about. Therefore, it's both
unlikely, and undesirable, that the bird fly with it's prey, in or away. If it
was subsistence hunting, whatever shows might be taken, but one runs the risk of
one's hawk flying into a tree with the game, and not coming back to the glove
because it's too heavy to want to fly, and no longer hungry.

Seumas dubh


Subject: Re: [medieval-leather] Hawking gear?
Date: Wed, 27 Dec 2000 13:00:45 -0500
From: rmhowe <MMagnusM at bellsouth.net>
To: medieval-leather at egroups.com

TJ Brunzie wrote:
> As a completely hypothetical question...  Is there any hawking gear
> surviving from the Middle Ages?  Gloves, hoods, shoulder rests, etc...?

There is a Falconry webring on line that also has 
a website with surviving manuscript from Austria / Germany
in the middle ages that has illustrations.

The server may be down now or not but here is a page reference I have:
Falconry Clearinghouse http://www.falconry.com/

Falconry
   http://www.matrix2000.freeserve.co.uk/masterof.htm
   http://www.webring.org/cgi-bin/webring?ring=falconry;list
   http://www.falconers.com/
   http://www.eagleheights.co.uk/
   http://www.britishfalconersclub.co.uk/

I have fairly extensive leatherworking books but the only one I know
of that has falconry patterns in it is:

Glasier, Philip: Falconry and Hawking; B.T. Batsford Ltd.,
	4 Fitzhardinge St., London W1H 0AH, 
	ISBN 0713455551, second edition, (1978) 1993 numerous reprints,
	352 pages, 47 line illustrations, 125 photographs, 10 in color.
	35GBP, I paid $42.50. 

As you can see it is a fairly substantial book. Apart from the text
which has instructions for making the hoods, etc. both end sheets
have double page patterns. There are chapters on Hood-making, Glove-
making, Making bells and hawking bags, as well as scattered equipment
instructions elsewhere. The only thing it is definitely lacking is
a bibliography.

I have a note in the back of mine I placed there:

Hands, Rachel (Ed): English Hunting and Hawking in the "Boke of
St. Albans; Oxford, Oxford U. Press, 1975. No ISBN.

Master Magnus Malleus, OL
Windmasters' Hill, Atlantia, Great Dark Horde


Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 15:08:09 -0600
From: Steve Hemphill <hemphill at shield.com>
To: stefan at texas.net
Subject: Re: [Fwd: [Fwd: Re: [medieval-leather] Hawking gear?]]

TJ Brunzie wrote:
> As a completely hypothetical question...  Is there any hawking gear
> surviving from the Middle Ages?  Gloves, hoods, shoulder rests, etc...?

I just recently returned from London where I did my best to find extant
falconry furniture.  Unfortunately, most anything that survives is most
likely in private collections.  However, I was able to find 3 16th c.
hoods in the Victoria and Albert Museum.  One has the mark of Queen
Elizabeth I's royal Falconer on it.  I make hoods for my own birds and
quickly noticed that they are virtually identical to what we today call
a "Dutch" hood.  I never did find any jesses, leashes, lures etc.  There
is also a collection at the Royal Armoury in Leeds that has a falconry
display (of which I have only a picture...haven't seen it in person) but
I believe most everything they have are modern reproductions.

From a documentation standpoint (pictures), I look at various pieces of
art.  There is a wonderful hunt tapestry in the V&A that has extensive
examples of bells, leashes, lures, jesses, etc. from the 15th c. ....a
very beautiful piece.

If you have any other questions, I'll be more than happy to help. 
Please email me at hemphill at shield.com as I am not on this list.

Eule von Haginbald
Bryn Gwlad, Ansteorra
mka Steve Hemphill
General Falconer
Austin, TX


Subject: Re: [Bryn-gwlad] help.. ideas please for camera w/tripod camaflouge
Date: Mon, 2 Jul 2001 13:25:52 -0500
From: "Steve Hemphill" <producer at us.ibm.com>
To: bryn-gwlad at ansteorra.org

Greetings Eule,

You're the one who has studied this. Did they use owls in the Middle
Ages as they did falcons and hawks? Can you even train an owl today
to do this?
--------------------
Gee, I'm glad you asked...... ;-)

Actually, yes they did but not as often as hawks and falcons but if you get
them at the wrong age, they are dumb as posts (much like a Redtail,
actually!).  My former Falconry sponsor, in fact, trained a Great Horned
Owl for falconry purposes and has been very successful with it.  Although
they "seem" rather docile, they can turn into quite the vicious predator
when it's time to eat.

I've considered trapping and training one myself, but there's this matter
of a Seminole Indian that lives with us who doesn't seem as thrilled about
the idea as I am! (the owl is the symbol of death in most Native American
societies)
--------------------

I've seen an owl paraded around at the Ren. Fair, but that owl was
missing a wing (after a run-in with his (only?) enemy - man) and
didn't have much choice in the matter.
--------------------
Actually, Redtailed Hawks are a predator to GHOs during the day.  The RT
and GHO have an interesting relationship.  During the day, RTs prey on
GHOs, during the evening (GHO are not actually noctural like most other owl
species), GHO prey on RTs.  Also, the GHO does not build its own nest.
They steal a RT's nest from the previous year, lay, hatch and fledge their
offspring and get out of the nest before the RTs move back in.  Very
interesting.
--------------------

I was also thinking of a Great Horned Owl. There are smaller ones.
--------------------
GHO were the only species I've actually been able to document.  I'm sure
others were used, but I just can't seem to find any reference....yet! ;-)

Stefan
--------------------
Now, back to our regularly scheduled program.....

Eule
(which is German for 'owl", btw.... ;-)

<the end>
Edited by Mark S. Harris	falconry-msg