Creance for training

There are two types of creance used for training raptors. One is a weighted drag line, the other is a 'zip line' or 'slider'. I personally prefer the control of the 'slider' type for training. It is paracord, very strong and lightweight. It is on a notched piece of wood, with a slider ring attached to an 8 foot piece of paracord. I have two lengths and weights on the slider cord. one is lightweight for small raptors, such as kestrels and up to 500 grams. That ring is a simple split ring used for key rings. The larger is a metal welded for the red-tail and Harris hawks. The main slider cord is attached to two different T posts in my yard. Where the bird can fly back and forth during sessions. I have a ring on each end of the main slider cord to prevent it from sliding off. I've used this system since I began in falconry in 1974. I like the control it has over where a hawk flies, and how lightweight and portable it is for training.

Lightweight equipment for kestrels

I have 3 kestrels, two AK's and a EK, male, yes, it is really hard to keep a tail on those guys. I've found the best way to preserve the tail is blocking them out with a 2nd perch to hop to.

My equipment is this: Size 00 grommet, thin kangaroo anklets, the jesses are a single piece of knotted, melted, para cord, about 4 inches long. The end of the jess where the swivel attaches is a melted hole (made with a large, heated blanket pin) where a Coastlock Sampo, size 5 or 6 attaches the clip through the hole. Kestrels are equipment pickers, so I paint all of their equipment with NOBITE nail polish. Really keeps the picking down. I use a size 00 vice grip pliers setter I got from Northwoods a long time ago. They also wear a tiny merlin bell and small ID tag on one leg, attached with a cable tie. The cable tie is inserted into a piece of plastic tubing to keep the cable tie from being pulled tight, again painted with NOBITE nail polish.

Talon Salon Coping Block Perch

Materials needed: Flower Pots (either plastic (for traveling) or ceramic/terracotta). Make sure flower pots selected do not have a ‘rolled under’ edge. This edge snags on swivels.

4-5 inch for small raptors

7-9 inches for medium raptors.

10-12 inch for large raptors (eagles and eagle owls).

Quick (Not Rapid) set mortar, Ratio:  2 parts mortar, 1 part 

Vermiculite (soil conditioner).

3/4 inch PVC pipe, cut to height of perches.

Garden trowel, Garden ‘rake’ for mixing and handling mortar
Mortar pan or dish pan for mixing mortar.

Coffee filters

Sturdy long rubber gloves.

Astroturf (long leaf type).

Hot glue gun or Gorilla glue. (Practice first with Gorilla glue).

2 gallon bucket for water.  
                                                  Rags for wiping up execess. 

Instructions:

Take flower plot, drill or enlarge hole sufficient in size for PVC pipe to fit snugly through the hole, and be parallel with the surface underneath. Tape top of pipe to prevent mortar mixture from filling pipe. If the flower pot has more than one drain hole, use a piece of coffee filter to prevent mortar mixture from draining out of bottom drainage holes.

Dry ingredients: Mix mortar and vermiculite thoroughly 2:1 ratio with garden rake. Add water to make the mixture the consistency of oatmeal. Mix water small amounts at a time. The mixture should be moldable, but not runny. With garden trowel, scoop mixture into prepared pots, small amounts at a time to insure that there are no air holes left. When filled, use gloved hands to shape the top of the pot to a dome shape about 1 inch above pot with a ‘flat spot': about in the center for the hot glued Astroturf pad. Wipe excess off sides with rag rinsed in bucket of water.

Let set for 24-48 hours in a dry location, facing the south or west.

When dry:  Cut a piece of Astroturf in a circle, undersized for the pot. Leave about a 2 inch rim of mortar for talons to scrape. Then use hot glue gun or gorilla glue (practice first), glue Astroturf to pot.

Portable T perch for hunting large fields

Often, we are in a field with no trees or perches for the birds to stay in position. Falconers have devised a T post for the birds to have a good vantage point in the field. Mine is PVC on a telescoping paint pole. Extends to about 8 feet tall.  I use the Shurlock brand paint poles.  For tall abatement work, I also have the 6-12 foot and the 8-16 foot poles.  All modified the same way. I prefer the Shurlock brand as they are durable and the tab to raise the perch up and down is easy to use with one hand.   I use the 4-8 foot one for carrying in the field. Materials I use:   1 inch (schedule 40)  PVC (with the 'bell' on the end).  The 'bell  holds the T connection in the center for the other two sections for the hawks to land on on and does not spin when the hawks land.   I drill all the T post all the way through the factory drilled hole.  I then carefully measure where the hole is and drill the PVC bell all the way through.  To lock to bell top on I use a zip tie.  Then the other two sections, each 2 feet long fit into the T. I have glued or screwed these two so they do not come apart in the field.   I cap the ends of the PVC.   Then I put Astroturf on top for the hawks to land on.  I now wrap it completely around the perch.  I also put a couple of ball bungies on the T post to hold food tidbits and a flashlight to illuminate the tidbit when flying hawk in low light conditions or for recovery during night abatement work.  My hawks are trained to fly into their crates (vari kennels) which also have a flashlight inside them illuminating a food treat.  This is essential for nighttime abatement work.  In the center of the T.  I put section of Velcro and have made a 4 oz cup where I tidbit the hawks and give them water.  They really like having access to water and during a hot abatement assignment.  They will actually fly to the T post for a drink.  The T post idea for falconry is a new tool and I've found it as essential as a lure in the field.  

Cable, electrical ties for falconry equipment

The photo of the red-tailed hawk 'Buster' shows the system I use for cable ties for falconry equipment attachment. Note the clear tubing to keep the cable tie from getting smaller on the bird. With birds that pick equipment, I use 'NO BITE' nail polish by Orly. It tastes TERRIBLE and works to reduce or even eliminate equipment picking. Also, note the 'ring' on the cable tie, very convienient for attaching telemetry for flying.

T perches for training

These T perches are a simple PVC construction. They are 2 inch Schedule 40 PVC slid on top of a U type of metal fence post. They are covered with non-slip perching material, anything weather proof and non slip can be used. Portable, weather proof. Inexpensive.

Tall 'Presley' perches for hawks

Some photos of the tall rotating 'Presley' type perches. The older, rust colored one is the template design for the others which are stainless. The inside of this one has a ball bearing (packed with axle grease) at the top of the post where the top of the perch meets the rod. Note the welded pipe washer that locks the separate 'ring' to the top of the post. These perches all spin. Although I told the welder to put a ball bearing at at the inside top of the stainless perches, I don't think he did. They do not spin as freely, but are sufficient. The rope length is this (a stiff rope 3/8", changed annually). I use a stiffer roper rather than the previous para-cord to keep the swivel from flipping through itself.  Bring the rope to the top and over the top of the ring, then have the knotted length touch the ground. That way if the rope gets over the top, the hawk is not dangling beside the perch. The swivel is a size 8 Coast lock Sampo. Again, changed annually. The distance of the bath pans from the perches is important. Have the well away from the perches, to keep the leashes from becoming wrapped around, yet the hawks can fly down and reach them easily. Also keeps mutes out of the bath pans as well. The plastic soda crates serve two purposes, one is to let the hawk have a safe alternative perch on the ground after a bate, also to place food upon. That way they can feed off the ground, away from insects, and when we travel, lawn chemicals in an unknown area. They are trained and encouraged to NOT feed on the ground, to prevent this. I've had birds become ill and lost a Barbary falcon due to lawn chemicals poisoning. The house where I was weathering the birds did not use lawn chemicals, but their neighbor did (using a commercial lawn care company).
So, the training to feed on a perch, or on the crate is essential.

Scales for Travelling

The three attached photos are of the three types of scales I use for the different birds.

The Detecto converted baby scale is only in lbs and oz. It is used for the eagle. It weighs up to 26 lbs and is in one ounce increments. The pan was removed and replaced with the small astroturf covered block of wood. The counter 'tare' screw on the lower left was replaced with a longer one.

The Ohaus is used for the majority of the birds. It weighs in grams, up to 5 lbs. Note the Ohaus the 4 tare bar, very important to make sure your raptor scale has that feature. I do not use a 'T' perch on the scales, because it makes them high centered and prone to tipping. I just pad the pan with astroturf. They are transported in the tool boxes that they are sitting on. For weighing scales are secured to the top of the boxes with bungee cords. A very secure system and travels very well.

The Pelouz electronic scale is used for the kestrels. Just a simple astroturf pad on that scale. The nice thing about this scale, is it can weight in either ounces or grams.

I strongly reccomend using grams for weighing your birds and keeping records. If medications are ever needed, they are always measured in metric so there is no risk of error on conversions from ounces to grams.

Soft, pliable lures for raptors

The reason I chose the 'Tuna Tail' fishing skirts was the durability and clean-ability of the material, plus it is visible under most lighting conditions. The white portion even glows in the dark. The late Jack Postlewaite did an experiment with lures. He found the most effective response was from the colors red and white. So, my lures are made from red/white tuna skirts and an inner-tube for size and weight. The softness of a lure for flying falcons I've found very important. Lure flying falcons get 'turned off' by hitting a hard lure. The Flexi lead take up make handling in the field almost effortless, not winding up the lure, just push a button. These lures are clipped to my hawking bag with the lure itself inside a pouch.

www.boonebait.com is a supplier of fishing lure skirts.

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