Thinking of getting a BOP

[Seedy_r0m]

Harris Hawks (Parabuteo unicinctus), are a great bird of prey (or raptor) to start off with.

I'd recommend getting a female, as they are a bit more robust than the male.

You might be best having a word with a local breeder, or BOP centre, and joining one of the many Yahoo groups dedicated to the subject to get more of an idea on what it takes to look after them.

I'd also recommend getting a decent set of scales, as their weight determines if they will have a good hunt & return to the fist, or will bugger off & do their own thing. You can buy telemetry devices, but a really good Austringer will be finely tuned as to what condition their birds are in, and when they should fast, or feed their birds.

Once you get confident and have a good working bird, there's nothing stopping you from working local estates, refuse tips, factories & even footy grounds to remove vermine such as gulls etc, you only need to fly your birds every ½ hour or so in order to keep the area pest free. You could also set up an area within a local country park (obtaining permission of course), and do hawk walks, corporate days out, shows etc.

Normal food for a Harris is DOC's, or mouse pinkies (day old chicks, baby mice), of course if your bird catches a rabbit, then popping an eyeball out is a treat for them as well as putting some rabbit/hare meat by for later on.

There are some diseases such as Bumblefoot which you need to look out for, but if you take care of your Harris, then you'll have a great companion, and a great hobby. There's not a lot better than having one of these beasts launching itself from the top branch of a tree staight to your fist on its own free will.

If/when you make a go of this, then you can add more Harris's, as they work together & hunt in packs, or even throw a ferret, or a dog into the mix to flush out rabbits.

Hope this helps.

 

[shaun127]

Very interesting Seedy.

 

[Seedy_r0m]

How did you get on Penners?

If you do get a BoP, it might be an idea to start an online diary. It'd be interesting reading how you get on.

It's a great hobby which could turn into a nice little earner and career if you make a real go of it.
Might also be something to pass down the the little 'uns if you have any.

 

[Penners]

How did you get on Penners?

If you do get a BoP, it might be an idea to start an online diary. It'd be interesting reading how you get on.

It's a great hobby which could turn into a nice little earner and career if you make a real go of it.
Might also be something to pass down the the little 'uns if you have any.

Hi Seedy_R0m

Thanks for your interest. I've spent the last several weeks reading as much information as possible. However I keep coming back to one thing. Can I provide adequate care for my bird during the winter months?

I.E A lot of the old timers on the popular falconry forums all specifies that HH ideally need to be flown a minimum 3 times a week. This would not be a problem in summer as I finish work at 4pm so me and the kids could go for a walk on the fields behind our garden and fly the bird, but in winter when I'm home at 4:15 ish by the time I'm ready it will be pitch black and as such I would only be able to fly the HH during the weekend.

I'd love to speak to a seasoned falconer and ask him/her their opinion on whether it’s right for the bird. I've also read that if the HH is not getting enough interaction/stimulation they can become squawkers. As I wouldn't be able to give up my career to work full time with the birds, would I be able to provide enough time?

I would definitely do a diary, I would have plenty of info to provide and pictures as I would need to convert my chicken coop into a mews etc.. and then there’s the whole manning / training of the bird etc.

I'll get some pics of the coop tonight and post some up maybe peeps could come up with an idea of how best to layout the mews etc...

But Seedy_R0m the more I read the more I’m in total awe of these magnificent birds.

P.S I’ve also got a good home for my chickens if I decide to switch to BOP. I’ve had the chickens 3 years now so wouldn’t want them to go to anyone so to speak.