Ospreys in Falconry: Book Review

This falconry video is my first book review video.
In this video I go over Kennon McKlendon's pioneering book about attempting to train ospreys as falconry birds. In this video, I review ospreys in general, and review the book as a whole.
Kennon is an accomplished and passionate falconer and his work with ospreys is absolutely groundbreaking. He has developed, troubleshooted and pioneered brand new techniques, equipment, husbandry, and has excellently observed and documented the mentality and psychology of these incredible birds.
Please go to ospreyfalconry... to learn more, continue following Kennon's journey with ospreys, and buy a copy of this book.
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[@briscocounty2810]

I purchased this book several months ago. It's a good, short read. McKlendon's experiences sort of dampened my multi-decade interest in flying an Osprey. I figured I could work out the Osprey's need to fly somewhere to eat any fish it caught, but there's a lot more to successfully training these birds than just overcoming the habit/necessity of "carrying." Anyone interested in flying an Osprey should also read the chapter on "Handsome" in Frank and John Craighead's classic, Hawks in the Hand. There's only anecdotal information there, but it's still useful. What's amazing to me is that biologists hacked out Ospreys in the 1980s in Pennsylvania where the nearest lakes were not visible from the hack site. But, soon after fledging, the young Ospreys found the lakes and instinctively began catching fish. Here in Utah, I picked up a newly fledged Osprey at dusk one evening. (Warning: Ospreys have a pungent odor.) It had apparently attempted to catch a fish and couldn't get airborne again. It must have simply "rowed" to shore. I gathered the Osprey up in my arms and heaved it upwards, but it was still a little too damp to fly--regardless of its water-repellant feathers. I then placed it atop a five-foot boulder and hoped it wouldn't be discovered by another predator during the night. A couple of days later, I saw it perched atop its nest again at the edge of the lake. (I knew it was the same bird because the adults only raised one young that year.)

[@sholinwright6621]

Even though not a falconer, I always learn something from your videos. Osprey are in my area twice per year during migration and they are spectacular to photograph diving into the water for fish.

[@pecosnick45]

I don’t even mind when they blow my fishing hole. Fucking love them.

[@wintermoon424]

Had this book imported to all the way from the states to Europe for me because I adore Ospreys and had no idea they’d ever been used. I just had to read it. Read it all soon as it arrived in the post, and superbly enjoyed it. It feels crazy to me that I wouldn’t have at all known about such a great and unique falconry read without this channel! Thank-you for spreading the word Ben.

[@ThatSocratesguy]

👌🏽👍🏽

[@mikegould3421]

I rescued one yesterday, it fell from or nest, had been out of a nest for two days, the parents never tried to feed it It still had some downy feathers on. Many coyotes in the area, we were able to give food through a syringe fish mixture, it's doing well at the moment, feeling more relaxed, and yes what you said about thinking, you can see it contemplating it's next move, put a couple of perch's in a temporary cage, he or she's thinking before jumping to the next. Beautiful bird.

[@Truthhunter4life]

Great video. I would like a little more of the content information but I understand that it is hard because you do not want to undermine book sales. Thanks for all your videos. They are greatly appreciated.

[@rom12]

Good stuff Ben, if you could add more raptors' footage, would be great. Both for the viewers and for your view count.

[@alanfaulkner5266]

I vote yah on book reviews. Completely unrelated but last week I saw an immature Golden Eagle being mobbed by a large female redtail that lives in my neighborhood. That redtail appeared the size of a mockingbird to this eagle, all of this happened in the middle of Memphis, TN. It was an amazing sight very rare here.

[@RobinASmith138]

Bens' spirit animal is definitely the Lanner Falcon! He mentions them so often, I love it! Always enjoy and learn something watching these, thank you!

[@TURBOLANDRAIDER]

Great book and a great author. Very humble yet VERY knowledgeable. Enjoyed the book review, and your positive outlook. Keep up the good work.

[@dougclark4561]

Thanks so much for posting this... I live right in the heart of thick osprey territory almost right on the divide between the upper Big Hole River and upper Clark Fork in SW Montana and I frequently ponder just how one would even start to approach the unique challenges that a fishing bird would present. I'm not yet knowledgeable or experienced enough as a falconer, in general, to even dare attempt this yet. But every time I take a drive I think to myself... maybe someday I want to try. I know a lot of other falconers would look at me sideways for even considering it... but the challenge of working with such a unique (and locally ubiquitous) raptor would be amazing.

[@happybee7725]

I live on the west coast of Scotland and i remember back in the 80’s when i was a kid ospreys had been heavily persecuted like all the other raptors were so ospreys were very rare. There was only 2/3 known pairs in the whole of the UK and they were all in Scotland. Nowadays thanks to conservation they have made an incredible comeback. We have a loch near were i live which is surrounded by a small wood on one side and open countryside covered in heather on the other. When i was a kid the only birds of prey you would see there was maybe tawny owls, kestrels and if you were very lucky a sparrow hawk but now every summer we have a pair of ospreys that breed near the loch. Its absolutely amazing seeing such an awesome species that was once so rare become a yearly visitor and the best bit is they breed successfully most years.we even get other ospreys coming in and trying to take over our resident ospreys territory.Theres so many now they are fighting fighting for space.Its absolutely fantastic and its not just ospreys that have made a return. Theres harriers and short eared owls breeding and occasionally long eared owls coming through in winter. All species that were pretty much absent in the 80’s. Thanks for the book review Ben . Enjoyed this one as i always do

[@peterknaust7424]

Great review, your personal perspective is invaluable!

[@oscarperez5628]

we want more book reviews! excellent video.

[@jaydendrelinger4304]

Humble & gracious way to promote the work and passion of others in your field Ben. You are on the money

[@fielddaisy9493]

Great videos good sir. I like how you did this video for the book review. Nothing better than an honest opinion.

[@kayjeecreative3712]

Dude Ben I JUST read this book and was scrubbing through your channel to see if you had any info on Ospreys! Amazing timing haha Hope you're feeling alright after surgery! Appreciate all the work you do to share this info with us!

[@barnabas111]

Well that was a video that I thought I’d never see. I wondered if anyone tried to hunt with one so now I have to buy the book. A sushi accipitor.

[@falconer5830]

Ever since I’ve started falconry I’ve loved the thought of working with an osprey. Great video, I’ll have to give the book a read!

[@bigdumbsucker]

Have you read Matt mullinex's book on falconry with American kestrels? It's great. You should do a review of that one too.

[@benwoodrufffalconry]

Yes it is a fantastic book!! That would be. Great one to review. I will definitely do that

[@ap-nu3ck]

Can't wait to read his book, so fascinating! Thanks for bringing this to our attention ✨

[@foleydvm]

great series on osprey on PBS awhile back!

[@facundobinelli6077]

Love this kind of book Review, you should do it with other falconry books you liked

[@junebug97]

I loved the book review and would love more! Happy to say, his channel's follower count has doubled since your videos about him :-)

[@AJsRealm]

A video on hawk eagles would be amazing

[@Sardonic_Cynic]

I've always adored ospreys - I was just never that enamored of fishing!

[@Therzis]

I think "A Most Remarkable Creature" would be an awesome book to review. It talks about caracaras and I don't see many people talking about caracaras even though they are very interesting birds of prey

[@ospreyfalconry5391]

I liked that book also. Very interesting birds.

[@benwoodrufffalconry]

I will check it out! I had a wild imprint created Caracara lined up a few years ago. But before it could be shipped, the government required that it go to a vet in the state of origin and get a health certificate. The staff at the vet clinic took the bird back and did not hold the jesses properly. A dog came around the corner and spooked the bird and it flew off into a glass window and broke its neck. I was devastated. The poor bird! Hopefully I will get to fly one someday. It would be really cool to try to better understand their mind and approach.

[@Therzis]

@@benwoodrufffalconry Poor bird, that's so sad. I have a family of caracaras living near my house and it's amazing to see their behaviour. In my area there's a lot of monk parakeet nests and you can see the pair of caracaras scaring the parakeets by flying near the nest together and then landing in the tree and slowly getting close. They do this until a few parakeets get inside the nest and because of the shape of the nest they have a hard time escaping once inside. The caracaras know this so they simply go there and grab a parakeet or two and fly away. Incredibly intelligent birds

[@jackkrell4238]

@@Therzis precisely. The striated caracaras in particular has shone signs of being exceptionally intelligent and was even complimented by Charles Darwin when he witnessed them communicating in groups and gregarious pairs in the galapagos islands. The northern crested caracaras is the only species in the falconidae family to use the conventional nest building method I.e. using twigs, sticks,etc. The black-chested buzzard endemic to Australia is also a contender for the most intelligent bird of prey, and have even used tools to crack open eggs and shells.

[@Therzis]

@@jackkrell4238 That's crazy! And I'm here impressed when I see them flipping rocks and pieces of bark to eat insects hiding under. I'll go do some research on the black-chested buzzard

[@jantirpak7902]

Hi Ben, great review.

[@TheUltraBeast1]

I know in south east Asia there is a practice of hunting with cormorants. The Osprey seems similar to me in that respect. Thatd be a good topic for a video to learn more about 🤔

[@kayjeecreative3712]

Also, really great diagrams/bone examples! They're really helpful for a newbie like me. Do you have a website with info as well? Would love to read as well as listen.

[@fielddaisy9493]

Try the Modern Apprentice. It's a website with great information if you haven't been yet.

[@buttholio88]

Hi Ben, I would be interested in more videos on hunting techniques, e.g. how would you approach ducks on a river with a Gos. How do you locate rabbits in a field? How can you use the wind or landscape to your benefit?

[@OspreyMomma]

🤚Ben living here in Florida of course Ospreys are all around. I have always been able to observe them year round for last 10 years. I live by St Johns River and Atlantic Ocean so I have seen siblings grow into young adults staying in area. I ❤️Ospreys they are so amazing. I am not in falconry but can’t get enough of raptors. Hawks, Ospreys and great horned owls all nest in my backyard area in marsh and all raise young successfully for 8 years a lil crazy but true. At times before during nesting Osprey will knock down the hawk and the owl loves to swoop down and scare Osprey off into air but all in all each nest has at least 1-2 successful babies. Thanks for sharing your info on this book. As you said anything is possible and learning and sharing about these raptors can help others to open their minds. Hope you recover soon from your jaw surgery. Thanks for sharing take care your friend in Florida 😊💕

[@stephenarrow2795]

Thank you so much for this. I live on a remote pearl farm in Western Australia. We have 4 pairs if eastern ospreys that have moved in with us over the past 40 odd years. One pair i see every morning when I go for a walk. We have watched these every year particularly during their nesting season as 2 of their nests are quite literally part of our buildings. About every second year we get a fledging chic on the ground in our camp. If the parents don’t come to feed them, we have built a mobile nest on a pallet which we can move around with a fork lift. We often end up feeding the birds for three or 4 days before they rejoin their family. Although we do our best, the survival from fledgling to adult is very low. I have wondered if more intensive care would help survival.

[@Henry-hy3bd]

I was reading the article and it had this link and I was like yippee it’s Ben Woodruff!

[@alhajimadibah459]

This experience is good,Mr woodruff I won’t you to talk about red and black kites pleas

[@happybee7725]

Oh cool. I asked you if ospreys are used in falconry a while ago.

[@ThatGuyFromNantucket06]

I didn't think you could use Osprey as partner. They are everywhere in my area.

[@Yellow260]

Great review and super informative video! I was looking at that book but it‘s not easy to get in germany. Got a question; can you suggest any books about raptor medicine? I‘m a biologist and falconer and look for more veterinary information. Most falconers here rely on „Birds of Prey: Medicine and Management“ by Heidenreich.

[@NeuKrofta]

I've always loved seeing them in the wild and their call is wild. I always wanted to know more about them but there is so little literature on them and wondered if they were possible for falconry.

[@nonstopadventures13]

Deer Ben what’s the chance you could do a video on the common black hawk I have been very interested in try to get one to fly as my falconery bird any thoughts on that

[@djleverett]

I have been watching a bird of prey hunting on my property, and have been trying to identify it. Could you take a look?

[@falconer5830]

Anyone know what state, if any, can you legally take an osprey in? They have always been my favorite raptor long before I started falconry and it’s something I’d love to research more.

[@mickrowley2264]

What happened to the ferruginous posts. Did I miss them?

[@pistooli1]

If falconry is about hunting, then what makes an Osprey a falconry bird ?

[@waksukka]

I don’t understand why people seem to be so closed minded to trying new species.

[@benwoodrufffalconry]

I agree. I am not sure why. Sometimes it has to do with regional traditions, but still…. Innovation and trying new species in my mind is naturally a very good thing.

[@dougclark4561]

I think there's a pretty easy explanation for the close-mindedness that often prevails in the falconry community. It's this simple: experimentation entails risk > risk entails a potential increase in negative outcomes > negative outcomes entails potential increased scrutiny and attention from regulatory authorities > increased scrutiny and attention from regulatories entails a potential disruption to the regulatory status quo in a negative (more restrictive direction = potential impairment of every other falconers rights to practice falconry. In my experience, many (if not most) falconers as individuals are largely very independent-minded people who many of which would just as soon prefer to be loaners. However, the existing regulatory environment under which we practice falconry has created a need for these independent-type people (who would normally be loaners or only tend to run in very small cliques) to form a community. And, ultimately its a community largely composed of types who are passionate about falconry and their right to practice it...and they jealously guard that interest. As a self-policing community, falconers can be very tough and judgemental of one another and there is a tendency to be very scrutinizing towards others that could disrupt the status quo, even though many of those people who are critical of others would struggle if they were scrutinized in the same way. In part the community will remain necessary partly because of the apprenticeship requirements and partly because there's strength in numbers when it comes to advocating for and protecting the right to falconry. But as long as the primary incentive for individual falconers to be part of that community is to protect their personal passion/interest, that scrutiny will remain strong. It can feel a bit ironic at times that the scrutiny is so strong... because as individuals a lot of falconers can scrutinize and be critical in ways that they themselves would struggle to accept from others...but as a group and in the name of group interests (which are actually primarily self-interest) they still end self-police one another pretty hardcore. This has created a cultural environment in which the individuals of that community are, on one hand, personally somewhat resentful of being critically scrutinized by others, but on the other hand are simultaneously convinced that, in order to adequately protect their own passions and interests they'd better keep a careful and critical eye on what others in the community are doing. And let's face it, that type of cultural environment tends to discourage and/or disincentivize open experimentation and innovation.

[@richlaw5136]

There's an osprey nest right by my apartment. I want to befriend the 2 of them