How To Tame a HAWK in real life | How to man your hawk | Operant conditioning

How to tame a hawk, IN REAL LIFE!
In this video we discuss how to tame a hawk in real life. In falconry we call this process manning. If you have a hawk and would like to know how to man your hawk, then this video has a few methods. We cover how to man a hawk as well as how to use positive and negative reinforcement. While taming a Harris hawk, we discuss the different types of operant conditioning including what is negative reinforcement.
We take an untame Harris hawk, sit with her, train her to be comfortable around us and being touched by us, train her to step to us, and then train her to be used to the area she will begin flying in.
Once you have watched this video, we have another video all about training this hawk to fly free.
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Music by Andres Jacque - Earth's Music - thmatc.co/?l=16DF93A8
Music by Juan Sánchez - Now The Silence - thmatc.co/?l=7D364CAD
#falconry #howto #tame

[@danmercer6590]

Make sure to like and leave a comment, it really helps us out!

[@MercerFalconry]

👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@chrisbaker3066]

This was a very helpful video. It was clear,succinct and direct. Very helpful, looking forward to seeing more.

[@MercerFalconry]

Thank you 😁😁😁

[@jmcilmoyle85]

I like 🦉

[@dimorrissey]

I am really enjoying your channel. I am a newly licensed apprentice falconer in the US. My sponsor and I are in the process of trapping my first passage red-tail and I am most appreciative of any videos about manning. I'd seen the use of the feather before but not to move your hand up closer and closer along the feather until you are touching your bird. That is one more thing I will incorporate when I finally have my bird. Thank you!

[@MercerFalconry]

Excellent, good luck I bet you are very excited, I’m happy to have helped! 😁

[@dimorrissey]

@@MercerFalconry Today was the day! I trapped a tiercel juvenile red-tail hawk! He's only 949 grams but feather perfect. I had him on the glove a couple hours this evening after leaving him hooded after getting him home and all his equipment on this morning. He did take a few small bites of meat from the tongs so hopefully he'll begin to trust me soon!

[@MercerFalconry]

Great work!!! I’m very happy to wake up and read this, you have a lot of fun ahead of you, keep me updated!

[@jakemurray8080]

Great video Dan, never knew about waking, I like the addition of some history. Nice explanation about the four elements of operant conditioning.

[@MercerFalconry]

Thank you, I hear so many falconers throw around the term ‘positive reinforcement’ without fully understanding it so I thought it would be a nice thing to include and explain

[@patopointfarm]

Very nice work. I appreciate you taking time to share your passion. I am learning as I am going to apply these skills to perch and flight training my young peacocks. THANK YOU!!

[@xiaemperor]

I love manning Wild hawks. the changes as you go feels so rewarding.

[@lenwenzel7440]

Hugely informative, thank you.

[@MercerFalconry]

Thank you and you are very welcome

[@jacquelinemcguire3077]

Such a young and wise man impressed I envy you I love birds . Can't wait to see more of you and your bird

[@MercerFalconry]

Thank you very much 😁

[@AddamsAdonis]

This is so cool!

[@LilianBennion]

your a realy good falconer and super helpful!

[@SL-vx1sx]

I really appreciate this. It is very helpful. I am an apprentice in the States and just got my first Harris last Sunday. He's coming along, but can be quite stubborn at times. He loves to pull out his jesses when he's in the mew. Like the feather idea. He nipped me a few times on the first day or two, but I did my best not to pull back and kept at it so he gave up.

[@MercerFalconry]

Excellent, well done for not letting him think he’s won by biting you! I hope you have a fantastic journey with him!

[@andremcqueen81]

🎉🎉🎉 great video

[@chaylynisaperson3720]

Great video, this channel is an awesome resource, it has given so much useful information as I’m about to start my apprenticeship here in the U.S. I had a question, what books or text were you referring to when talking about old falconry techniques? I’m interested in looking more into the history. Thank you!

[@jezza4338]

you hit the nail on the head! i get it where I went wrong

[@Nidzastunter]

Good job !

[@caleblivaudais7573]

Thanks for the detailed Video 😀 .

[@MercerFalconry]

Your very welcome 😁

[@NickVenture1]

Nice when the bird eagerly jumped onto the glove to get a reward. Subscribed. Thank you for the teaching.

[@MercerFalconry]

Thankyou for subscribing and enjoying the videos 😁

[@NickVenture1]

@@MercerFalconry Yes! And we have something "cooking" these days. Therefore your training classes are going to be most useful.

[@horselover4170]

Thank you for all the information! Excited to go take my falconry test.

[@MercerFalconry]

You’re welcome, good luck with the test!

[@partsguy9423]

I was listening to this with my kids playing in the background. They kept asking me why I was learning about hogs XD

[@sball2358]

Great video Dan 👍

[@MercerFalconry]

Thank you very much, hope you are doing well!

[@danielmercer7748]

and follow Mercer Falconry on Instagram!

[@MercerFalconry]

😁😁😁😁😁😁

[@eipebpeax]

Thank you for all your videos and pacion. In 2 days i will start my journey with a little harries hawk 😀

[@MercerFalconry]

Thank you very much, good luck with your falconry journey, I hope you have lots of fun!!!

[@dar...7872]

You're a good teacher

[@MercerFalconry]

Thank you 😁

[@mindfueluk]

Another great video smashed out the park Dan. I know you said you don't want to annoy your bird by Manning to long and I guess this is different for each bird but do you have a rough idea of how long you man for and when you say always end on a positive , in guessing you mean food reward , would that be a chick from the birds daily food quota.

[@MercerFalconry]

Thanks, it’s tough to say, some birds I have spent less than an hour a day whereas I have spent a few hours a day with others. And no ending on a positive doesn’t always mean a food reward, if the hawk is nice and relaxed and so are you when she goes back on the perch that’s a success

[@alegogo2911]

A random little hawk: *lands on a tree in my back yard for 15 minutes 4 in a row* Me 3 seconds later: how to tame a hawk

[@MercerFalconry]

😂😂😂😂 an perfectly reasonable series of events

[@MyOsirius]

Stay the course.

[@kitersrefuge7353]

A juvenile hawk was perched outside in my garden here in South Africa. How do i establish a relationship with such a wild hawk? what do i feed it? i am (if i may say so) and expert dog trainer and have always found out local hawks fascinating and this year noticed this young one hanging around my house. Thanks for your excellent video.

[@axbxa]

Awesome video. I am now interested in something I never thought I would be interested in. How often do you need to keep up with training, and how often does the bird need to be taken out? I imagine quite often yeah? Do you have experience with owls? Pros/cons with them?

[@danarust2968]

Thank you so much for making these videos! I find them to be very informative, I also love your calm and easy nature in explaining things. When you work with the feather, does it need to be a feather from the same kind of bird of prey? Can an eagle feather be used with a hawk, or can they tell/see/smell the difference and then find it threatening?

[@MercerFalconry]

You can use anything, I tend to use a feather because I have loads of them around and they are nice and soft

[@woffy1263]

Man your the best

[@MercerFalconry]

Thanks 😂

[@woffy1263]

@@MercerFalconry i've learnt alot from you about falconry i've been doing a lot of research and studying watching your videos, it really helps me its taught me a lot but im still not ready to get a hawk, I learn new things everyday, and you play a big part in that.

[@MercerFalconry]

Great, I’m very happy you are doing some research and happy I have helped! Keep it up

[@martinwoollatt7911]

Hi Dan. I've just taken charge of my first ever hawk, a 4 month old male Harris. I'm 6 days into the Manning process and feel we are making positive progress. He now takes food from the glove and grows more and more comfortable with my presence - he even allows gentle stroking of his chest. The one thing we both seem hesitant about is actually getting on to the glove. I can tease him into getting one foot on but not the other - although today I noted he seems to be 'thinking about it'. I have tried a more direct approach but this doesn't produce a result and I don't want to upset his otherwise clear progress otherwise. Any suggestions? TIA Martin Woollatt Cadaval, Portugal

[@dilsher3674]

Good job

[@MercerFalconry]

Thanks

[@jackcrompton92]

Commenting to help algorithm

[@MercerFalconry]

Thank you very much

[@bryanv.8867]

I think I may have found a new calling in life. Thank you

[@MercerFalconry]

You are very welcome

[@fritzebeh2263]

Very informative, keep up the good work can we please get the name of the books mentioned in the video 🙏🏾

[@Sallys53]

Love hawks

[@michaelkemp5403]

Unrelated Question: How far apart are your vertical bars in the falcon weathering? I'm about to construct and need to know whats best. can bars be put on the inside and mesh on the outside (problem with pine martins where I'm located). Cheers

[@MercerFalconry]

I don’t know exactly, if you are using mesh then there is no need for the bars

[@michaelkemp5403]

@@MercerFalconry free lofting a harris and don't want it to fly into mesh.

[@magneresjuan]

Excellent Video !!! I was waiting for this one, thanks. One question: what do you do with the bird once you put on the equipment? You said in this vid that you don´t like the " awaiking " process and I agree with you, so please can you tell me exactly what you do from the moment you put on his equipment? you keep him on the glove and start to touch him with a feather? for how long? ? you put him on a perch ? If you can tell mi what did you do with your Harris once you put on him the equipment that would be very helpful for me. thanks

[@MercerFalconry]

I put the equipment on and then put them on a perch because a new bird typically is not very happy with the procedure. Then the next day I would pick her up and just find a quiet place to just sit with her on the glove, I only start to use the feather once I have sat with her enough times for her to not bait if the feather approaches her

[@magneresjuan]

@@MercerFalconry Perfect !!! thanks for your answer, think I´ll do the same with mine

[@MercerFalconry]

Happy to help 😁

[@magneresjuan]

@@MercerFalconry mi bird has not yet the equipment, all will put it on in a couple of days but today almost get him to eat on the glove without any equipment, you can see the vid here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m6q1ZHxvgdB3hZo Finally can you tell me what do you give her ( harris ) in a one week food? thanks

[@MercerFalconry]

Excellent work!!! It’s tough to say how much she eats in a week, if she’s only having day old chicks then it will typically be 2 to 3 a day but as she is on a varied diet and has beef and quail I have to decide how much she eats each day depending on her weight that day

[@Vexloxity]

I’m having trouble with getting my hawk to step on to the glove, any tips? I have been trying for 2 weeks.

[@yvonnerogers6429]

😎

[@explosion-gb9jy]

I don't have a bird but your videos are cool

[@MercerFalconry]

Thanks I appreciate that

[@bracey9591]

Hello, not very clued up on any kind of falconry but I gather there comes a stage where you no longer have the bird on a string and trust it? Do you know when to trust it and will the bird come back to you if you let it go?

[@MercerFalconry]

When she is flown she is free and can go wherever she likes (she wears a tiny radio tracker) but when she isn’t flying and I am carrying her somewhere or she is on a perch having a sunbathe and bath she is tethered with a leash

[@BrooklynBrooklynsmith-vy2ui]

Where did u got them from

[@TarmanTheChampion]

What do you feed her?

[@Connor-sq6bc]

Hi mate love the vids. I have a question if you have the time to answer. Me and my grandad are both really interested in falconry and hoping to have our first bird in the not too distant future. We was hoping to have one Harris hawk between us that we would both look after, would that be viable or is it usually a 1 on 1 process?

[@MercerFalconry]

That sounds like a lovely idea, as long as you are both taking part in bits of training and flying a Harris hawk will definitely be able to make a bond with both of you!

[@Connor-sq6bc]

@@MercerFalconry thanks for the reply :). I have noticed that you aren’t too far from where I live. Where is the best place to send you a query about an experience day?

[@MercerFalconry]

I’m not really running the experience days at the moment, with my birds having so much time off with the bird flu I really need to make sure they are ready for displays, once I have finished with displays for the year I will get them ready to start experience sessions again

[@Connor-sq6bc]

@@MercerFalconry that’s fair enough mate 👍🏼 it wasn’t so much a flying experience that I was after anyway more of a couple hours of educational and technical stuff. No worries all the best 👍🏼

[@trevorgorman4844]

Lots of good info 😁 I hav a query for you that I can't seem to get any useful info in books or on line 😑 In January I borrowed a 5yr old Female HH to put along with my 3yr old Male during the Molt. In May two chicks hatched, in July one of the chicks became vocal in the Aviary, she is still quite vocal ☹. Will this pass or is there anything I can do to help her to be less vocal ? Please help 🙏 ps - she is quiet at night and generally quiet during flying or while sitting on the fist. One rainy day I had her in my office away from the others and she reminded quiet then too.

[@MercerFalconry]

You might have to house her separately from the parents while she matures a bit, she will likely quiet down once she is flying and hunting

[@trevorgorman4844]

@@MercerFalconry Much appreciated. I will certainly try this 🙂

[@lexiequirie7915]

Can you fly her with your dog? I know HH can be hard to have around dogs sometimes.

[@Nonoffensivename]

I breed mice for my snake , had a hawk appear yesterday and I ended up feeding him 8 mice , the last 3 , it came right up to me and ate it on the ground . It would be the highlight of my life if I could get this beautiful bird to be friends with me .

[@MercerFalconry]

Just be careful the wild hawk doesn’t become lazy and start depending on you, you are very lucky to have the experience though!!!

[@hasantanveer9457]

Do you know any places to buy a kestrel in Staffordshire

[@MercerFalconry]

I’m afraid not, try contacting a local falconer and asking for their help!

[@Justin762ww]

What books names For taming eagle please

[@rajeenacp5163]

My brahminy kite is not at all letting me to put on those anklets, ? Im just worried if I do it with force it's gonna lose it's trust on me and be scared the next time it sees me! Is there anything you can suggest?

[@MercerFalconry]

Is it parent reared or an imprint?

[@rajeenacp5163]

@@MercerFalconry parent reared.

[@ktkjinx1156]

Learned alot. But the music is too loud and you talk to quietly.. but very good video ! Thank you!

[@MercerFalconry]

I was still learning to edit when this was made, the newer videos are better! 😁

[@magneresjuan]

I am trying my first night of taming. The only way i can get my harris on the glove Is with the Hood on. Is it possible to leave the hood on all night long? My problem Is that if i take it off it goes crazy. Any suggestions please?

[@MercerFalconry]

Absolutely, I have left hoods on birds overnight many times during training and when I am at shows my falcons sleep with their hoods on, a have friends who always hood their hawk overnight

[@magneresjuan]

@@MercerFalconry thanks very much!!!!!

[@zielaarifin2020]

I have a child HH , how old is it to train him ? My bird is only 2 and half months old . what should I do ? Thank you !

[@MercerFalconry]

Training can be done at any age but for a Harris hawk I wouldn’t even take one away from its parents until it’s at least 18 weeks old and then train it from there

[@abrahamfrago3728]

I currently own a poultry farm and I've been having issues with stray cats and other small animals surrounding the area at night. Is there any possibility for a hawk to be free during the day and hunt this little creatures? My dogs are doing their best, but they can only catch cats. Any experience or info would be appreciated.

[@MercerFalconry]

Sorry for the late reply, i have only just seen your comment! it wouldnt really be practical for a hawk to do this job, cat scratches and bites can be very dangerous to birds of prey so it wouldnt be safe for the hawk. with all the other little creatures, its unlikely the hawk would even go after anything small, and if she did, once she had caught one she would sit for the rest of the day and do nothing. it would be much better for you to set up boxes with break back rat and mouse traps, if you contact a local pest controller they would be able to help you.

[@KrizzyThaWolf]

Looking to become a falconer this video helps me know more before i attempt this

[@MercerFalconry]

It’s important to do all the proper research before starting, keep it up!

[@KrizzyThaWolf]

@@MercerFalconry right im infatuated with hawks. Intrested in how you can bind with them but i never wanna be ill informed i never wanna put one of these gorgeous birds or those around me in danger so ive been researching it for the past 2 days. Wanna be fully educated before i step into this and make it a lifestyle

[@MercerFalconry]

That’s great, so many people rush into buying a hawk before they are ready and it never ends well

[@KrizzyThaWolf]

@@MercerFalconry right. Im excited and would love to rush into it but i know i need to be aware of every aspect before i can. I also know i keed to become a lisenced falconer in the state of new york to even be able to own a hawk. So ill have to know all there is too know and pass that test with 80 percent or above before i can even start training one. I will frequent your channel as well as reading up on it so i appreciate you for walking us threw the steps and showing us the proper ways to care and handle these birds of prey 💯 🙏

[@MercerFalconry]

You can find mock runs of the exam online, I tried a section in one of my videos

[@TheHarrip]

Where do you get a hawk to tame? Do I have to catch one?

[@federicofazzio2393]

Hermoso harris

[@MercerFalconry]

Sorry I’m not sure I understand

[@federicofazzio2393]

@@MercerFalconry Es Hermoso el halcon harris que tenes amigo

[@MercerFalconry]

I only speak English

[@federicofazzio2393]

@@MercerFalconry It is beautiful the hawk harris that you have friend

[@federicofazzio2393]

@@MercerFalconry yo hablo castellano .No se ingles pero tradusco con el traductor .I speak Spanish. I don't know English but I translate with the translator.

[@ZeonicZeref]

How do you even get a wild hawk to come near so you can put the anklet on

[@odobasian471]

I found a baby hawk hurt on the ground and now I try to take kare of it. He in quite aggressive because we have it only gor 2 days but I do my best

[@MyOsirius]

Dan Mercer..

[@MercerFalconry]

Yes?

[@MyOsirius]

@@MercerFalconry Is there any other way I can text without having the world see what I am texting about Dan? You would be interested in what I have to say.

[@MercerFalconry]

You can send a message to the Mercer Falconry Facebook page

[@victorcoleman949]

I've only had experience with parrots never with raptors. Working with birds of prey would be awesome.

[@MercerFalconry]

They are very different!!!

[@Deutscher_Krieger795]

Can hawks,Falcons or Eagle be come loyal to you

[@bradymerworth4717]

My grandmother has befriended a wild hawk outside her house and the closest she’s got to it is about 3 feet

[@MercerFalconry]

Wow she’s very lucky

[@bradymerworth4717]

Her hawk actually just found a mate and now they live together by an old barn near us

[@bradymerworth4717]

It’s a red tail hawk

[@MercerFalconry]

Lovely, hopefully you will get to see some fledglings later in the year

[@L2T_william2009]

Well this helped a lot but I have a female Harris and she caught my face

[@MercerFalconry]

Oh that’s not good!

[@L2T_william2009]

Yeah my face hurts

[@MercerFalconry]

I have seen it happen to people in the past, try to make sure she’s never in a position to be able to reach up to your face, and try not to be hesitant around her because of it, if you are she will know and try to take advantage further

[@joeodowd2342]

Are you manning at fat weight or flying weight.

[@MercerFalconry]

Flying weight

[@tranhai1487]

Hello you

[@MercerFalconry]

Hello

[@megagatvol]

I can’t see the video??

[@philipketchell8369]

Very interesting, but i hate the piano is it necessary?.

[@bloodwyvern7876]

Bro is playing ark with birds

[@MercerFalconry]

Fortunately I don’t have to knock them out to tame them 😂

[@bloodwyvern7876]

Good point Off topic but Personally I want to get into falconry but the main problem I have with it is how to get enough money and still have time for the bird

[@1stcrg]

That’s a harrisis hawk (a buzzard not a hawk).

[@AA-qf9pz]

I wonder… could 15 year old me do this

[@jacobwardrip3470]

To much feeding from the fist. I bet she's a screamer.

[@MercerFalconry]

Nope

[@kevinparker461]

More babble!!, every time i see someone telling people how to train a hawk & they haven't got a decent whistle round their neck i think "Amateur". I have trained Sparrow hawks, Goshawks & Harris hawks & its as good as useless to not have them trained to a mechanical whistle, you can not rely on your gob to deliver every time, especially if you have just run 1/2 mile after a flight!!. If a hawk was on my fist a refs whistle was around my neck & that hawk was trained to that whistle. One blast & my hawks responded without fail, & if they didn't they were on a kill. All the Hawk & Falcons i have trained in the last 50 years know the whistle well.

[@MercerFalconry]

Nobody is forcing you to watch this, if you don’t like it just don’t watch the videos…

[@funnyfarm123]

Desensitized training is very important.