Falconry

My son does this in Oklahoma.  He has a new hawk, an immature redtail with a little different color pattern than usual.  These are cel phone pics, but I fixed them up as best I could.

Good lookin' bird!

rabbits be afraid very afraid

He's beautiful! I really think there is something more stunning in a Redtail than an eagle! Absolutely my favorite bird. The western and Harlans are showing up now, and I consider them a personal gift from God all winter. This one has a really heavy belly band, huh? those are nice pics! Thanks for posting them.

Happy thanksgiving!

ng

Great life long hobby. How many years did he have to train under someone to get his lisc. I would love to hunt with a bird of prey but the requirements are arduous. Nice !!

TnMtns

Arduous for the birds' benefit, I'd have one too except for the tough, good requirements. These are good clear pics, he's just gorgeous!

                   That must be a 'fun hobby', I found one the other day near a dead dog dumped in the country, it couldn't fly so I put it out of it's misery, (the dog had been poisoined) I suppose, & the hawk had eaten some of the meat.

                                                                                                       Fossis............

Wow, what a strong looking bird.

Nice that is a very pretty bird! 

BAD TO THE BONE !

Wow!  Great pics.  I'll bet that is an exciting hobby. It must demand a lot of attention to the birds, too. They are a
sharp looking bird.  One day a few years ago, on my way home from work a red tailed hawk swooped down to the right
shoulder right in front of me and as I was about to pass him, He flew up with a long snake in his claws. I passed
only about 8 or 10 feet from him. That was quite a sight. I would like to have to gotten a pic of that. It would
 have been a keeper.
Thanks for sharing.

   Ray

Wow!  Great pics.  I'll bet that is an exciting hobby. It must demand a lot of attention to the birds, too. They are a
sharp looking bird.  One day a few years ago, on my way home from work a red tailed hawk swooped down to the right
shoulder right in front of me and as I was about to pass him, He flew up with a long snake in his claws. I passed
only about 8 or 10 feet from him. That was quite a sight. I would like to have to gotten a pic of that. It would
 have been a keeper.
Thanks for sharing.

   Ray

 It is not a hobby. Its a life long commitment. You have to study for years under a  master before you can own one. Its very rigorous and not a task you take lightly. I commend him on his rigorous achievement. They are beautiful and have made such a good come back with the absence of DDT. I have been fortunate to be able to observe a few hunts with them.
 Good post

It amazes me how accurate those birds of prey are.  There was a family of Peregrin (or however you spell it) falcons that nested in a tall building next to my office. The City got several pairs to control the pigeon population. I  would watch them kill pigeons and eat them in the parking lot of my building.  They  would come out of no where like a bolt of lightening and knock the pigeon silly sos he would crash into the pavement. Then he would swoop down and finish him off in need be.  Most of the time the fall killed them I suppose. Sometimes they would strike two or three times a day if they had young to feed.  Monty