# wanted advice on big of pray



## chriz21 (Dec 30, 2010)

hi im after some advice im looking into getting a kestral or hawk.
i was just woundering if anyone could help me with advice on how to get a lieance to keep them.
size of aviry i would need and if poss best place i could get one from

any advice at all please

thanks 
chriz


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## slugsiss32 (Nov 14, 2010)

I would ask some of the Bird of Prey Centres...there's one in Cornwall.. A friends, friend owns it. I'd imagine they have more knowledge than people on here, unless people on here keep birds of prey which i'm sure some do! There's many sanctuaries that keep them, often wild that can't be released because of injuries etc. 

The Cornish Birds Of Prey Centre, Cornwall, UK - a collection of over 50 birds of prey for you to see, with regular flying displays.


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

chriz21 said:


> hi im after some advice im looking into getting a kestral or hawk.
> i was just woundering if anyone could help me with advice on how to get a lieance to keep them.
> size of aviry i would need and if poss best place i could get one from
> 
> ...



I really think you need to do a bit more research on this. You don't need a license for keeping Birds of Prey, size of aviary differs greatly on the species as well as best place to buy, but that seems way off at the moment to be honest. Get some good books (I'd recommend Falconry by Jemima-Parry Jones, Falconry: Art and Practice by Emma Ford, and Falconry and Hawking (revised) by Phillip Glasier.), and find yourself a local, experienced mentor who is willing to show you the ropes in handling, feeding, equipping, training, etc, and also set-ups, and you may well find a breeder through them when you're ready. They're not like a a guinea pig; they require a lot of knowledge and a decent amount of experience _beforehand_ to keep. 

Apologies if this comes across as nasty; it's not meant in such a way at all.


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## miss_ferret (Feb 4, 2010)

what loveforlizards said plus the addition of suggesting you look into the LANTRA beginning falconry award. BOPs are a huge amount of responsibility and ownership should not be entrered into lightly.

again, if this is coming across as nasty then im sorry but these days so many people are impulse buying these birds without the full research they need (not suggesting this is what your doing, just generalising the way things are going), there not a pet, there like gaining a todler at times :lol2:

could you bit more specific in what you want? 'hawk' covers a large number of birds (though im assuming you mean harris hawk), and if your keen to fly/hunt the bird and dont have any previous experience then a kestrel isnt a good choice as a first bird.


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

Im with LoveForLizards & Miss Ferret on this. Getting into falconry/keeping birds of prey is not something to be entered into on a whim, & you should get plenty of knowledge & experience before getting your own bird.


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## anthony reilly (Jan 16, 2010)

Failing to listen to someone with advice, dont just get a small bird like a kestrel just coz they look good they are harder to keep as you dont have alot of weight to work with and if it goes to low you will kill it. As has been said by other members on here get some books, a mentor, do a coarse then think whether keeping birds of prey is for you. Dont really need to keep a bird in an aviary either you could keep it in a mews/weathering but they need to be flown regularly not just weekends or when you feel like it. Kestrels are falcons and are flown differently to hawks and you need alot of skill to fly falcons. 

Atb Ant


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## mark1981 (Jul 31, 2010)

*hi*

Hi chriz my advice would be to do as much reading as possible , there are many good and top falconers out there that do sell books to show you how to do it all but to be perfectly honest your much better off finding your own way in the bird of prey world as so many people like to do things a certain way and not all of us feel comfortable doing it there way so you need to learn the basics FOR EXAMPLE , Equipment < gloves , hawking bags , lures , hoods , scales , jesse and anklet making tools < leather , eyelets crimps , swivels leather balm , jesse and anklet sizes , Housing ( usually you can make a nice weathering with a nice ceramic tile heater above the bird during the winter to stop wing tip edema known as dry gangrene syndrome ) and also a safe and secure meshed front so that wind cant blow your bird about but allows enough clean air sirculation and and also keeping unwanted guests trying to eat your bird ( cats or foxes ) and also a good lighting system to come on automaticaly to scare them off and that you can get a good view in the evening if anything does aproach the weathering but weatherings are only realy used when the bird is flown every day but its also good to have an open aviary but like i say some people pefer it one way and someone else prefers it another, Manning , Hooding , ( thats if you intend on keeping any longwing including kestrels , Feeding< this is important to as different food sources can keep the weight on a bird alot longer than some others can which can cause you trouble as your bird will not be down to flying weight the next day causing you to fail the routine you and you bird has . aviary weight and flying weight , Lure training < some kestrels prefer lures to fly to or you can get them flying naturaly but lure flying is a good way to keep them in top shape < but must be done gradually . In my opinion a harris hawk is a good bird to start with and to be honest a kestrel isnt really a starter bird unless you have someone to show you as there up bringing can be very different from a hawk as some people like to imprint them and this needs to be done properly as you could ruin a bird totally well you can ruin any bird of prey but you may have a litle bit more room for error with a harris hawk and can correct things. harris hawk is usually bullet proof but i think you would be better finding someone in your area to show you how a hawk would fly and how a kestrel would fly , also i know some dont use it but no one has mentioned telematry < can be expensive < wing mounts ,tail mounts etc etc


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## chriz21 (Dec 30, 2010)

hi mark thank u for ur advice i have been doing a lil reading into it the bird i am looking at is a harris hawk. i have found a local falconer tht is prepared to learn me and help me all he can. he is going to help me get all the stuff i need and he is going to help me out with a aviry and building it.
he has over 30 years with birds of pray and he is willing to help me learn.
i am going to start with him monday morning taking me out and showing me his birds flying. and if he thinks i am good enough in time he is willing to let me go out with him on a more permant basis.
he also has loads of contacts tht have young and older birds and will help me choose the best bird for me.
but like i said im really intrested in the harris hawk more tht any other bird.
thank u again mark ur advice is taken and very much accepted

chriz


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## mark1981 (Jul 31, 2010)

*hi*

hi chriz hope it has been of some help to you and glad you have found someone that is going to show you the way , you cant go wrong with a harris hawk , good luck mate .


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