Falconry: Training Harris hawks

[@harrishawklerinDE]

Hi Ben, LOVE this video (and glad to see you're doing ever better)! We've had our Harris female for 2 seasons and absolutely adore her. We spend time with her daily, also during the molt, going for walks on the fist, sitting on benches where she can look across the valley, going horseback riding with her next weekend for the 2nd time. She thrives on new experiences. But when she indicates she'd rather stay in her mews, we leave her. Because of the prey most available here (SW Germany), we primarily hunt crows & magpies, and she got 50+ crows last season. Also 2 Egyptian geese! We are having a great time with her and she's a good hunter. Once she found her voice, she was vocal (except during the molt) for more than a year. Thank goodness for patient neighbors! 😅 Finding the best hunting weight is no easy task! Thanks for the video!

[@RTJsims]

Feel better soon Ben. I'm one of those that simply could not give a Bird the attention it needs at this stage in mylife, but I've always enjoyed Falconry content. I Hope you will consider recording your first hunt back from surgery so we can cheer you along.

[@iiSips1142]

Great video. Harris's hawks are simply wonderful. I really liked your point to treat them with the minute care even when they are so affable to accept "sloppy" approaches. I would love to fly one some day, but because they are so accepting of faults it seems like it wouldn't make a great beginner bird to establish fundamentals.

[@lizardteep]

As always, you sum up a species and their personality so accurately. I fly a late-pull wild hacked male Harris and I started having success when treating him more like an accipiter - he is less jumpy now and a ton of fun to fly at feathered quarry :)

[@davidirving2006]

Great video and nice to see some honest comments. For me the biggest difference between a HH and any other raptor is you have to trust your HH, it will make you a more successful pair hunting wise. It is much more of a partnership than say a Goshawk.

[@bootlegshima3126]

Heya! I’m looking into getting into falconry at some point in the future and I have a question. Do you know anything about zone-tailed hawks? Any experience or do you know anyone with experience? They’re so beautiful! Thanks in advance and I love your vids

[@anthonycapuano8554]

This is exciting. I'm getting another female Harris this summer. I can't wait to start working her up to great heights!

[@colinjohnston5465]

Great video, thanks, Ben. Good to see that you're on the road back to health. First time I went out with a hawk or falcon, it was a Harris flown by a professional falconer in UK that I was buying a GWP dog from. It was fantastic fun and the little bird was game for anything. Next time we went out he flew a Red Tail (which I loved) and a peregrine. Three totally different birds. All awesome. One thing I don't get is why Red Tails aren't flown more. They are great birds.

[@RaptorGirlkathy]

Txs, Ben! Really enjoyed this video because I work with 2 Harris Hawk educational ambassadors, that some older children fly, under strict supervision, here at Green Chimneys. TY4 your advice, great point on touching their feet, and under your wing, for warmth 😉 very cool😎 it's my job to help keep 'em social. They understand me 😂❤ love working with them!!!! I find your advice on "when to acquire a HH, quite interesting 🤔 😀 Ty!

[@lohikarhu734]

Always hyvää, Ben!

[@firebain]

Thank you. I am about to get my first HH and I am looking forward to this adventure.

[@freebirdofreason1994]

Always a pleasure to watch, good to see you looking better keep up the good work.

[@FRamirez1A]

Great video. Can you please make another comparing male vs. female Harris hawk?

[@ComicusFreemanius]

boi looking energized, thank the lord.

[@PaulVos-qw5kl]

100% beautiful raptors

[@MarcoTuliodeLimaeCarlos]

Excellent video! My Harris's Hawk has been with me for a short time. I have the privilege of being able to fly him every day, except when it's raining. Currently, my bird is turning 8 months old. About a month ago, he started vocalizing a lot. His weight is adequate, as well as his diet. He really loves being around people and stops vocalizing when he's on the glove, flying, or riding in the car. Despite many attempts, he still hasn't managed to catch his first prey, but I know he will succeed soon.

[@fielddaisy9493]

Wonderful videos, thank you for all of your hard work.

[@jasonritschel6602]

Hi Ben, I live in Snowdonia North Wales UK. I have been flying a PR Harris' Hawk and just starting my second season. I use a Field Marshall 100 173 frequency with a scout transmitter. I am looking to upgrade to a GPS system. Do you have a preference between the Marshall or Microsensory GPS. Best wishes for now.

[@HerbysHanz]

Hello. I recommend plants only diet for humans. As much as possible. Question: how high to Harris hawks climb when hunting? Do they go as high as the red tails? 🙏

[@ThatSocratesguy]

4:45 Getting a captive bread harris Hawk too young can be very dangerous

[@clarencelupo7069]

Glad you're on the mend. I always enjoy your videos, but they don't always get down to actually doing things. How about doing segments on the meat and potatoes of falconry? Properly fitting jesses on a bird, Fitting a new hood, Hood training, the ever popular falconer's knot, Imping, walking through a mew and giving it the once over for good furniture, etc. Keep on the mend brother!

[@shae899]

Hey Ben, so glad to see you doing well. Every time you bring up pack hunting I want to mention that whenever the resident Cooper's hawk has 3 or more in her clutch, the fledglings exhibit pack hunting during the family bird stage, here, usually on foot. They'll chase something into cover and surround it, and then one goes in while the others wait to catch the flush, or sometimes in the air most of them will chase something 1 direction and the last bird will come in from in front of the prey animal. Is this typical of all family bird stage Hawks, or would you consider this atypical? Is this not something a falconer could continue to foster if it is typical of family bird stage Hawks?

[@danparadis01]

Always keep in mind that views and opinions are just that. Once you get the basics don't get stuck there learn to think outside the community box...

[@benwoodrufffalconry]

Very well said!

[@christian3514]

Went to a bird rehab with some lifer birds there, one lifer bird was a harris hawk that was illegally owned and trained for falconry and it was confiscated, i did a tour at this rehab and the hawk had such beautiful brown bright eyes and just squwaking to beat the band. This makes sense to why it was so vocal, maybe? 🤔

[@ThatSocratesguy]

Dave you have to see this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/npaoeqJ-qayeabcsi=lm-G4LtrZBEGnFwn This guy is making puzzles/enrichment toys for his Harris Hawks to solve and get food as a reward. Much like people train crows to do. It seems like a fantastic idea for falconers to bond more with their bird, especially during the moult. This also seems like a great tool for falconry breeders in the process of selective breeding Harris Hawks for exceptional intelligence / solving skills. In the future we might get Harris Hawks as clever as crows!?

[@dhanushchandra7853]

0:05 accipiter badius?

[@ComicusFreemanius]

Mississippi kite

[@dhanushchandra7853]

@@ComicusFreemanius definitely not a mississippi kite it has black feathers surrounding the eyes

[@dhanushchandra7853]

@@ComicusFreemanius and mississippi kites mostly do not have barring under the chest

[@ComicusFreemanius]

@@dhanushchandra7853 Think you're right, he did a video with it and I forgot what it is...

[@ComicusFreemanius]

@@dhanushchandra7853 or not. The feet look Zygodactyl? Is it a white tail kite? That's my bird. I kept an eyass for six months, could've sworn the heads came out all white tho.