How to train a Kestrel | Part 1

[@wildaboutbritain4264]

I’ve been training a now 16 week old parent reared male kestrel to the lure, he’s been free only about a week and I too have noticed much more eagerness to fly to the lure rather than to the fist. Also he is exactly the same with hovering above and around me instead of doing passes, but I’m now rewarding him for when he turns away and does a circle of the field to encourage him to become less clingy rather than always rewarding when he’s constantly hovering in my face 😂. He’s just started successfully taking it from the air when I throw it up to him after he’s circled the field so I hope this will eventually lead to a successful pass. It’s my first time using a lure myself so I’m learning just as much as he is!

[@MercerFalconry]

I’m happy it’s not just my Kestrel being weird then 😂 Have you realised how magical it is swinging a lure for a falcon, you won’t ever be able to stop now you have started!!!

[@rangbaittariang]

from where I can get this kestrel ?

[@christophersear8446]

I am the same. I got a year and a bit old female kestrel use to fly to the glove but could not get long flights out of her as she strange to you as soon as you step away. So training her to the lure. Even when I through it strange up she hoves waiting for it to hit the ground and then lands on it.

[@wildaboutbritain4264]

⁠​⁠@@christophersear8446I’ve been flying my kestrel for about 2 years now and he’s epic. I don’t ask him to to passes to the lure anymore, I decided to focus my methods on bringing out natural behaviours. In the wild they hover and then stoop down to the floor for their prey. Simulating that makes more sense to me. So, he gets bechins thrown on the ground to reward high up hovers. If he doesn’t hover but I like something he’s done, I will reward with a bechin thrown up that he swoops down to catch. When I get the lure stick out at the end he circles up to gain height, and when I drop the pad on the floor he stoops in. It has made for some incredible flights, There have been times he’s gone so high that he has specked out! We spend around an hour flying every day, and in that time he often goes out of sight exploring, circling up high, self hunting etc. Very happy with him, he’s turned out to be such a star.

[@bandyleg2285]

As a falconer, I love the honesty of trial and tribulations in this video. Nice to watch and keep up the good work

[@MercerFalconry]

Thank you, I have had people question the videos before thinking it’s not real but it all is, I think it’s important to show people that working with birds doesn’t always go as exactly as planned

[@HenryRavenscroft]

Binge watching your videos and this is my first comment. this is my favorite video so far, due to the Kestrel. My favorite for a first bird as an apprentice falconer in the US. Also the most intimidating as far as weight maintenance is concerned. Enjoying your entire Channel so far.

[@MercerFalconry]

Lovely to have you here, I’ve just finished editing a video ready to go up and started editing another!

[@dreamteammmathenetherlands8258]

I am researching Kestrels (torenvalken in dutch) for over 6 months now, i want to THANK YOU for your TIME and EFFORT you put inn to educate people like me. It feels like i am learning more from your content then every book i read. Again THANK YOU so much! DAN the MAN! SUB+1 from Amsterdam

[@MercerFalconry]

Thank you for such a wonderful comment, comments like this push me to continue making the videos!

[@jakethebirdnerd5411]

10:50 didn’t think he would landed on the camera 😂 I always that it was cool that kestrels can be flying and then hover on the spot. Good job Igor can’t looking forward to part 2

[@MercerFalconry]

He landed on that camera way more times than what was shown in the video 😂

[@marksellers2499]

I’m a rookie fascinated by all of this. So cool to learn and experience all of this thank you for your dedication and sacrifice to these beautiful creatures

[@Whitefeather123]

Another great video showing your journey with Igor. Its amazing watching him hover over you watching the lure and he was very quick at learning what was coming!

[@MercerFalconry]

It was lovely watching him but I would rather he save that for later and actually start following the lure round like I’m asking him to begin with!

[@daniell1483]

That's just amazing. This looks like exceptional progress! I don't know how long kestrels typically need to learn these behaviors, but just it looks like Igor picked up the job very quickly, which just highlights how smart birds can be. I knew corvids and parrots were smart, but I'm begining to tihnk all birds are exceptional thinkers and masters of pattern recognition. And those reflexes! I'm just really blown away here, you do good work.

[@thespaceman903]

Hi Dan love the video I love igor he is my favourite out of all ur birds great video

[@MercerFalconry]

Thank you, I’ll let him know, he’s a few peoples favourite! 😁

[@samcawood2037]

This content is super underrated. Incredible footage and video structure

[@MercerFalconry]

Thank you I really appreciate that!

[@fishmut]

My gosh I loved your little kestrel , what a beautiful bird , I would be so happy with a little fella like him , he was amazing mistakes and all he was a gutsy little bird , awesome stuff. Liked and subscribed.👍

[@freebirdofreason1994]

Lovely work, the kestrel is a beauty , you have done amazingly in a short time . Nice filming. Thanks for sharing.

[@MercerFalconry]

Thank you, he’s been a great little bird!

[@RyanLolaNala]

This is incredible Dan keep it up and well done Igor I cant wait for part 2 ❤

[@MercerFalconry]

Thanks, I can’t wait to have him stooping at the lure and flying all around!

[@johnwilkes7190]

Good training approaches and a grand little bird

[@MercerFalconry]

Thank you very much 😁

[@hashirasad2599]

Hi Dan! I wish you a good health . Hope you're doing good. It's good to see you back with these awesome videos that will help the falconry community. Looking forward to them ☺️

[@MercerFalconry]

Thank you, I hope you are well too!

[@EllieS.04]

Great video, love the step by step training videos.

[@MercerFalconry]

Thank you, got a few more on the way!

[@MichaelDavis-pq6ei]

Hi Dan Must have missed this video. What a beautiful little bird. Looks like a load of fun. Good luck with him.😊

[@williemurray9379]

He's special Dan...👌

[@MercerFalconry]

He’s a little star! 😁

[@komicsreviewer8505]

He's disabled/he's disabled/...

[@Sllist3933]

he is so cool when he flies and moves really fast !!!! 🐦🐦👍

[@MercerFalconry]

Kestrels can be very quick when they want to be!

[@moritzlaszlo3115]

Such a cute bird!

[@MercerFalconry]

He is very sweet

[@komicsreviewer8505]

Its a death machine dude.

[@Namib.desert.]

Thank you for your videos! Very informative.

[@catherinebartley3574]

Thank you for the interesting video. I recently encountered a Kestral while driving to town. He was on the ground and flew into the bumper of the car. I backed up, wrapped him up in some paper towel and brought him home to administer to his wounds. He had blood from his head and right eye. My daughter treated him with a little hydrogen-peroxide around the eye and we set him up in a dog crate with branches and water. It took quite a while for the eye to heal, but he seems perfectly normal except for a lazy eye covering. He loves being fed, jumping up and down and his little chest beating when he sees me with a mouse at his door then has no problem grabbing it from me. His rehabilitation has been a little less than a month.

[@marystohr4870]

Great learning and interesting video ❤

[@MercerFalconry]

Thank you very much 😁

[@gwbasic123]

Great video, I was really impressed by how fast he’s picking up his training. Is there a part two by the way? I look forward to a second part for this beautiful bird

[@Wingspans84]

Was my first bird when I was eight watched KES the film I was hooked I’m now 48 and have had a few birds in my day I’m flying a Harris hawk iv had her for 13 years now great vid m8🥰🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@karolinavolkova8064]

Thank you so much for this video, it was really interesting, I really enjoyed it 🤩🙏

[@MercerFalconry]

Thank you very much for watching 😊

[@fijitom]

Impressive! That's one handsome bird

[@EliasDrayton]

I love your videos and im trying to save up for my falconers license,..

[@jamesdeveron3585]

Great job mate

[@patrickhiggins3582]

I enyoyed the vidio. its lovely to see the male kestrel doing so well. and thank you for looking the kestrel. i hope to do projects on wild birds in the near future, hope to get a wild bird camera, and do paintings on wild life.

[@Ghag_Sanket]

Great video ❤

[@MercerFalconry]

Thank you! 😁

[@jimiclapton]

Beautiful! What was the electronic device you attached at 7:20? Some sort of radio device for locating?

[@AmazonMilkboneSlinger]

2:49 the bird poops while he’s holding it. That’s all I’ve retained from this video. Thanks!

[@czarowen]

Eurasian Kestrels are my favourite birds. They are beautiful.

[@joeyj.425]

Wow great video man

[@Pra8855]

Just found your channel top man we have a owl sanctuary near me you've inspired me to do some volunteer work and learn more about birds of prey as have always been interested thank you 👍

[@MercerFalconry]

You are very welcome, I’m sure you will have a lot of fun! 😁

[@Humanityslaststand]

Such as a majestic bird ❤

[@Lorneplumber]

What can you say. Brilliant episode

[@roncozad4108]

This is so freakiing awsome

[@robseandantuono3812]

I ❤falcon s they are beautiful birds .❤❤❤👍👍👍👍😎

[@rachelfrahm829]

This guy is good my brother is a veterinarian and a falconer. ❤❤❤

[@davemyers7507]

I like your falcon cool 😎 thanks for the viewing

[@Tobias_Swifticus]

Great video cheers dan! you've mentioned a couple of times birds moulting and reclaiming them although what does 'reclaiming' actually mean and entail? also have you or are you going to do a video on moulting at some point?

[@MercerFalconry]

Reclaiming is when you take them from their moulting aviary to begin training again, if you would like a video on moulting I will add it to the list!!!

[@Tobias_Swifticus]

@@MercerFalconryYes please that would be great, cheers!

[@czserad]

Great video! I don’t know about other people but I’d love to see a video of just raw footage of your daily routine with one of your birds. Anyways, have a good one!

[@MercerFalconry]

That’s basically what the members vlog is!

[@czserad]

@@MercerFalconry there's a member's vlog?!?!?!

[@MercerFalconry]

Yes, I have only made one so far but plan to make many more, it can only be watched by the channel members

[@czserad]

@@MercerFalconry hmmmm, interesting. I’m gonna have to become a member once I’ve bought all my falconry gear.

[@czserad]

@@MercerFalconry hey I have a question. I’m trying find good creance line for a red-tailed buzzard sized bird. Do you know what time of line I should use. I can’t find any of what my sponsor recommended.

[@williecorcoran2676]

Hi Dan loving the clip can I ask what way you mount your tag it looks good? Thank you Willie

[@asilIraniroosters]

lovely, keep the good job up

[@thejamnasium6447]

what a beauty

[@MercerFalconry]

He is lovely

[@tyresesp9696]

how many times a day do you train your small raptors? great video, thanks!

[@MercerFalconry]

Once a day every day!

[@donmac8907]

Lovely male kestrel , pleasure to watch you my friend

[@MercerFalconry]

He is a lovely little falcon!

[@JohnLexis]

Reminds me off a movie a boy with his kestrel Kes long time ago

[@FrancescoGervasioRaptorPeak]

Part 2?

[@kevinrobertson2650]

❤

[@4PrairieKat]

He is Beautiful!

[@jmar3956]

Are you the same guy who has a fishing channel? If so i live your videos, i was bummed you come to north wales and i didnt get to meet you 🤣 i would have loved a chat

[@hayleykinzz]

Hello Dan, im a beginner and your videos are super helpful. My kestrel is a big fat chicken at 250 g, ive started training and he flies from perch to perch and hops to the glove (weve only been going about a week) but he loses focus easily and sometimes just sits around all fluffy with his foot up. Ive started dropping his weight about 3g a day and now hes 229g.ive noted Igors weight, but have read that theres only half an ounce betwen life and death and no room for error, so I'm scared stiff. How do i know im in the right place?

[@robinworkman3621]

Looks so fun, could one of these little guy successfully take a rabbit?

[@zmerk253]

So I’m just getting into all this, do you have a video referring to why you monitor their weight daily? I know physics must have a lot to do with it, does it dictate the kind of training or hunting you’ll do for that day? Or is it simply to monitor growth?

[@simplebrownguy2035]

So like do you keep the bird hungry till training? And whats the amount of food you feed it?

[@ferhansen5574]

How many days does it need to be fed for bird training? Thank you ❤

[@codymoffat7638]

We’re do you get your birds

[@patrickhiggins3582]

the male kestrel is so quite, we can learn so much from wild animals

[@thedino805]

Could you do a video showing all your birds?

[@MercerFalconry]

I might do at some point

[@carlt9265]

Proper cute birds kestrels

[@indyreno2933]

Kestrels are falconid birds of prey that constitute the genus Kestrellus, there are over fourteen extant species of kestrel, thus making them the largest genus of the Falconidae family, the fourteen extant kestrel species are the American Kestrel (Kestrellus sparverius), the Common Kestrel (Kestrellus tinnunculus), the Lesser Kestrel (Kestrellus naumanni), the Fox Kestrel (Kestrellus alopex), the Rock Kestrel (Kestrellus rupicolus), the Great Kestrel (Kestrellus rupicoloides), the Grey Kestrel (Kestrellus ardosiaceus), the Dickinson's Kestrel (Kestrellus dickinsoni), the Seychelles Kestrel (Kestrellus araeus), the Mauritius Kestrel (Kestrellus punctatus), the Newton's Kestrel (Kestrellus newtoni), the Banded Kestrel (Kestrellus zoniventris), the Spotted Kestrel (Kestrellus moluccensis), and the Oceanian Kestrel (Kestrellus cenchroides), the american kestrel is the most basal of the fourteen extant kestrel species and is the only one found in the Americas.

[@DivineAzubuleAmarime]

Please can I ask about what my bird is and how to feed it cause it fell from a tree due to a rain storm.

[@vapaus831]

11:47 Both of you are so Cool !😎

[@MercerFalconry]

Thank you, I think Igor is a lot more cool than I am 😂

[@hankOyler2023]

What is to stop the kestral from flying away???

[@SepantaShakery]

How should I know my Bird's minimum and maximum weight for flying?

[@vinnitheratcatcher]

wish I'd seen this 50 years ago.

[@leonp1763]

How do these birds come into captivity legally?

[@ΤάσοςΕμβαλωμένος]

I think they breed them in captivity!

[@marszczelec3014]

Are u train him to a glove sometimes?

[@MercerFalconry]

I trained him to step to the glove from the lure once he has eaten his reward

[@LordOfSweden]

Is it true falconers deprive their birds of food? and use other cruel methods?

[@danielrodgers8425]

I want to learn how to train it

[@uhskippy23]

I may have missed it, but is he an American kestrel?

[@Ghag_Sanket]

Wait for part 2

[@danielrodgers8425]

I just got one

[@teamearth8913]

just wonder what is your writing on your black board for what purpose is that?

[@MercerFalconry]

As I have 11 birds to keep track of it helps, I also have to keep a record for my animal activities license

[@JuanGuerra-tl9wx]

What do you feed him?

[@MercerFalconry]

Beef and chicken mainly

[@JuanGuerra-tl9wx]

@@MercerFalconry thanks

[@benji13]

Any update on this kestrel?

[@MercerFalconry]

I’m working on it!

[@benji13]

@@MercerFalconry Awesome! Thanks for the quick reply! Love the channel

[@husnihusniAbdillah]

What do you hunting

[@sherabdorji1892]

I have 0ne kestrel help me what type of meat i should give.

[@Mistersigmad]

Next part

[@cyberkalak8093]

anyone can help me to get a kestrel?

[@ianwhitehead4728]

Why did you imprint a Kestrel ? they are such sociable as parent reared birds

[@MercerFalconry]

He’s not an imprint, he is parent reared

[@ianwhitehead4728]

@@MercerFalconry umm ok if you say so

[@MercerFalconry]

If I say so? Ok Oh please do tell me if there’s anything else you know personally about my birds that I don’t know!

[@ianwhitehead4728]

@@MercerFalconry was just a polite observation. Some parent reared birds are reared with open fronted aviary’s i just commented because your Kestral was quite vocal on the glove and mantled with food on the lure and a lot of centres fly imprints .

[@danielrodgers8425]

I want to learn how to train it