Falconry: the REAL peregrine story

[@dimorrissey]

Such a great video as always but August 20th will always be a milestone for me because today state falconry coordinator and fish & game inspected my mews and I passed! I'm officially an apprentice and will be trapping next month! LOVE all your videos. Your knowledge, humor and manner of passing on information is invaluable. Thank you!

[@matthew-ww6vs]

How’d it go

[@midshipman8654]

This is a really cool story. how it all played out and you getting excited to finally find something beginning to flourish in the wild you only saw as captive bred or in a program before is just a great dynamic to think about. also, i really appreciate your nuanced take on the larger subject of conservation and some of the grey areas with it when it comes to truth and ethics.

[@lauragenovese5945]

I'll likely never experience even being close to a falcon or such mighty birds -but Ben's videos are truly the next best thing.. I always come away with such rich knowledge and respect for them. TY for sharing the passion and amazing facts!! How amazing nature and people like Ben are!

[@michaelgerowjr.1299]

Always great information Ben!!

[@Avestruzjr]

Very true on the East Coast we've lost the original Duck Hawk which was a huge strain of peregrine that is gone forever unless the DNA can be extracted from deceased specimens and resurrected.

[@HawkMother]

I think they were called 'Rock' peregrines by the older 20th century falconers. Alva Nye would mention them to me.

[@hubrisnaut]

I live in a rural area of Maine and I agree with your opinion on regional "species endangerment declarations" (begrudgingly understandable, in the interest of a cause, I suppose...) and it's "exploitation". Maine really is a biome transition area. For instance, cardinals, morning doves or robins almost never overwinter here but frequently do just a few hours drive south. It's true of many marine species also. plants?, "butternut trees" are "endangered" here but are thick as weeds in Massachusetts. I'm a nature lover overall but have a particular interest in falconry probably because my parents gave me a book on "outdoor skills", at maybe 10 years old, that had a chapter on falcon capture and training. Later, at 12-13, a science teacher of mine brought his peregrine and a kestrel to school fairly regularly, general circa '76-'79... I wonder now, if that exceptional man is still with us. I might dream of having an raptor as a companion, but probably never will... Keep up the up the work, Ben, and stay out of car crashes...

[@YARAKX]

Hi Ben, I am 16 and out of Colorado. I have wanted to be a falconer ever since I saw your first video but never got the chance until the beginning of this summer. I had a sponsor and I had the funds so I was ready, but to my dismay I was told by many people I wouldn't pass the test my first time. Well I studied hard reading as many books and watching as many of your videos as I could. I actually passed and after a couple months had my license. I built some traps that now looking back were horrible, so I bought your book. It blew my mind with everything in it and I actually had a passage red-tail fly and land close to the trap I built out of your book but a car a few roads over spooked it. I haven't had much other luck and was wondering if you have any ideas.

[@czserad]

started when I was fourteen. took 2 weeks to find my first bird. I use two gerbils in my BC trap. For me, the best advice in an area with not a ton of redtails or not a ton of cooperative redtails is perseverance. You den up catching one?

[@YARAKX]

@@czserad I did this year early November. Trapped weight was 1080g. Her name is lilly and it has been quite the adventure with her haha. She flew away for a whole week. I had filed that with the Division of wildlife and then saw her on my way home from work. I rushed home grabbed my lure and she came right down. I was just surprised she had stuck around in the area for that long.

[@czserad]

@@YARAKX haha that's crazy! Lost my 1560 catch weight red-tail this year and she wouldn't come down. Have seen her nearly every other day since I lost her two months ago but she just wasn't tamed down enough I guess. Happy hawking!

[@KylesMonitors]

I read My Side of the Mountain when I was around 10 and fell in love with peregrines. They're the whole reason I'm learning about falconry. I wanted to start decades ago but couldn't afford it

[@mathildavos5112]

Hello Ben, your book is also for sale in Dutch. and your videos are interesting and learn a lot from them. greetings Mathilda

[@ornithologydude8649]

Cool stuff, gonna enjoy this one 👌🏻👍🏻

[@jantirpak7902]

Good evening, in Central Europe is f. peregrinus still endangered. This is despite the fact that its abundance is high to such an extent that it negatively affects the abundance of f. cherrug. F. cherrug is almost never seen in the wild. Excellent video Ben.

[@ornithologydude8649]

I don't think sakers live in Central Europe. I see peregrines quite often here, but I'd usually go further east or south for sakers. But I'm not sure haha

[@jantirpak7902]

@@ornithologydude8649 20 years ago I knew of several nests f. cherrug. Now I don't know about any of them.

[@ornithologydude8649]

@@jantirpak7902 oh okay 👌🏻

[@ornithologydude8649]

@@jantirpak7902 you are probably further east than me, we only get migrating sakers occasionally

[@jantirpak7902]

@@ornithologydude8649 I live in Slovakia. F. cherrug occurred in the south of the country. Sakera from the vicinity of the city of Nitra were in great demand in the 16th century in Hungary. Our country is basically the northern boundary of the extension f. cherrug and also western. But at the moment I don't know about any nest. In the localities where he nested, f. peregrinus. Have a nice day.

[@Shumway03]

Aweosme video. You should really consider making a podcast about topics like this! It would be very interesting.

[@maltorspaltor]

Great video. Important to remember. Here in Germany we had a successful captive breeding programme at the same time. And is it worth mentioning that the first ever successful captive breeding of peregrines happened already in 1942 by German Renz Waller? :)

[@mrkus-nc7od]

Yes I believe true ; except Frank Beebe had by mistake sibling Prairie falcon ? produced not sure if the off spring survived .

[@mrkus-nc7od]

DER wilde Falk ist mein Gesell .😊

[@MirsadIsmani]

Interesting story, thanks for sharing

[@barnabas111]

I’m in the Merchant Marine and see peregrines offshore in the Gulf of Mexico and the East Coast. Usually they will stay a day or two, feed on a couple of miscellaneous birds that are also hitching a ride and then continue on.

[@wehahngeldenhuys3902]

Ben as a falconer I only support conservations through sustainable use, as falconry in its history has never led to the extinction of any specie

[@Ran-vm7fu]

Awesome... not a new story for sure. Heard it many times, but always pulls at my heart strings. Even though I didn't have anything to do with it personally, I feel a sense of pride for my falconry brothers and sisters. Thanks for your perspective again. As for the lengths we go to getting people to care, it is absurd. And a shame. But something has to be done.. All the best, Ben...

[@georgeblanco436]

22 years later and we still can’t take peregrines as we should. They should be regulated no different than a coops.

[@stevehanson5556]

1963 I was driving with my parents through the mountains of Southern California, on a pole was a peregrine falcon but I said to myself that can't be a peregrine falcon they're extinct how could it be, in the 1970s I was talking to a fish and game ranger and he confirmed that yep they were around,

[@ellaboobella8770]

I believe there’s still DDT in the environment. The Sauces bald eagle cam was been watching a nesting pair for many years, and it’s nearly a miracle when the female lays eggs that do not collapse when incubated. 2-3 years ago that poor pair kept trying and trying, and the female actually laid 8 eggs total before they finally gave up. Last I checked they haven’t been able to collect any parts of the eggs for testing.

[@jakethebirdnerd5411]

Great story saw my first wild peregrine last year such abasing birds

[@raphlvlogs271]

the use of those types of puppets were also used in the captive breeding and reintroduction of storks vultures and bustards because most birds can get imprinted easily

[@HawkMother]

Snail kites (Everglades) in FL. Now are found in Paynes Prairie, near Gainesville, FL. Their beaks have adapted to eat the non-native apple snails as well as native apple snails.

[@johnkersey3460]

Nice - 73 did falconers in high school in LA . Saw wild condors over warner brother lot in Malabo Ca.

[@johnf1296]

❤

[@lohikarhu734]

Watching the falcon looking at everything, rotating its head (and eyes) for different views...what is known about this behaviour, have you done any video about what they are accomplishing with these "cute" but clearly useful movements? So, you admitted to a love of the "everyday" Peregrine! ;-)

[@leetlebob8203]

I’d imagine it’s the same as owls, the bobbing allows for them to better perceive depth.

[@lohikarhu734]

@@leetlebob8203 it probably gives them a bit of "parallax shift", one more depth perception clue?

[@skyking6989]

Looking pretty young for growing up 1900

[@khemchee4685]

Some say the polio scare and outbreak was really the result from DDT.

[@PhoenixFireFalconry]

Change a species name to save them . . . applies to the "Monkey-Eating Eagle", now known as the "Philippine's Eagle".

[@ornithologydude8649]

Yeah LOL

[@Sardonic_Cynic]

condors are inspiring? no: it's a giant turkey vulture

[@Ran-vm7fu]

Perhaps you need a new perspective. Turkey vultures are amazing in their own rights. A condor.. whew! Inspring, maybe.. Majestic? Absolutely! Something doesn't have to fit the human perception of beauty to be magnificent. This is an incredible creature, as are all animals really, but ignorance is bliss. Dive in a learn about the vultures in general and learn the roles they play in nature and you can't help but see them in a different way. No, they aren't cuddly. They have some revolting habits. But they are really beautiful in their own way. The first birds I rehabbed when I began were a pair of several day old turkey vultures. Never thought it would be something that I would find myself becoming attached to, but I did. They are everywhere near me, always makes me smile when I see them. Best...

[@BeneathTheGold]

Crystal Chappelle you have no idea what can happen to an ecosystem when vultures are removed. Check out videos on the vulture crisis in india. The whole ecosystem went crazy when vulture numbers dropped very dramatically.

[@Sardonic_Cynic]

@@BeneathTheGold oh don't be insipid; I never said they weren't necessary, did I? I grew up in an area where turkey vultures were very common - and roadkill wasn't, thanks to them; next read the words and not your own biases

[@BeneathTheGold]

@@Sardonic_Cynic im biased? Your the one putting down beautiful creatures because they eat carrion!

[@Sardonic_Cynic]

@@Ran-vm7fu just for your own edification I grew up in Redding Ca, where there are more turkey vultures than just about anything else, so I am in fact Very familiar with the role of scavengers in nature and rather a fan of sky burials as being incredibly eco-friendly so maybe get off your horse?

[@johnkersey3460]

The young needs to fly without tec. help. Have crags first book And still use his methods.@ 72.

[@HawkMother]

The Philippine Eagle was called the Monkey Eating Eagle. Is now the national bird of the Philippines.. Because of the name change (done by Marcos when he was in office) The Philippine people now appreciate their new national symbol. With the distinctive blue eyes.

[@pakcanhunter]

😂😂😂

[@bimal195]

Today is 18 August 2021 in INDIA

[@KestrelBone-pd2gt]

Ok your compiter ecplains getting a bird that has bad habits ok it's screams big time it's second hand bird and says it's others mistakes and yours ok a imprinted bird is bad habits even if trained with no mistakes they scream and there sticky footed regardless and all he did was get hungry and trained it.