Ch 9 POUL

the terms eyess, passagerand haggard

- eyess - remove baby from nest, unusual - passager - typical, trap mature falcon on first migration - Haggard - occasionally, for breeding, should be released

hunting techniques

Ambush element of surprise forest hawks large amount of energy used Goshawk, Cooper's Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk

gyrfalcon

arctic falcon

killing methods

blow from feet talons and internal injuries feet and suffocation cervical dislocation (break necks)

how is training a raptor for falconry accomplished, stages of training a raptor for falconry,

reward not punishment

requirements/procedures for becoming a falconer

3 classes of licenses: 1. Apprentice - need to be sponsored, learn the ropes 2. General - after apprentice 3. Master - minimum time 5 yrs Department of Natural Resources for state - fill out application Federal Exam - cover bird biology, regulations of falconry, and how to train falcons Have to have a hawk house (mew) Acquire Equipment Inspection - department checks equipment, mew and sponsor

world-wide distribution of raptors

300 species throughout the world, with the exception of Antarctica and a few isolated oceanic islands.

starvation and accidents (collisions with cars and power lines) are major causes of death

50% of raptors die of starvation

northern goshawk

Accipiter largest very vicious kills animals for fun, not just for food persecuted by pigeon handlers

accipiter vs buteos

Accipiter: The Accipiters, or forest hawks, have short, rounded wings convenient for their dash-and-grab hunting style. They vary in size, with the largest about crow-sized. Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, and Northern Goshawk are a few examples of Accipiters. Buteos: Buteos include large, wide-winged, short-tailed hawks that prefer forest with open areas for soaring. Red-tailed Hawks and Harris's Hawks fall into this category.

secretary bird

Africa south of the Sahara long, scaly legs, short toes adapted for walking (tall birds) not sexually dimorphic Can't carry prey with feet Primary food - snakes - kill by jumping on prey then walk it back to the nest

raptor diversity in body size and prey consumed

California Condor having a wingspan of nearly 10 feet and weighing over 20 pounds, while the Sharp-shinned Hawk weighs only 3-7 ounces and has a 20-inch wingspan raptors prey on animals of various sizes, with the larger eagles, such as the Golden Eagle, capable of taking prey as large as a coyote or pronghorn antelope. Smaller raptors, like the American Kestrel, feed on small prey like grasshoppers and mice.

sources of raptors for falconry

Catch wild raptor - are legal ones to catch Buy from Breeder - master can have more birds - Common cost $100s and rare $1000s

reproduction-elaborate displays, female anatomy, slow reproduction rates, eyries(raptor nest), double clutching, imprinting, siblicide

Courtship - elaborate displays so the female can judge the fitness of the male (male has to be able to cartwheel female) so good genetics are passed on Typically 1 Mate per year - some mate with same for several years (need both to hunt for chicks) - Polygamy - one male has several females (not normal) ex. Northern Harrier - Polyendry - one female has several males ex. Harris Hawk Female Anatomy - most have both ovaries and oviducts (no conservation of weight) Nest or Eyrie - large platform nest common, built in trees (hawk and eagle), on cliffs or ledges (falcons) or ground (Harriers and Kites) - use year after year (add new sticks and leaves each time) - sometimes breaks trees so have to find right tree - use greenery esp. conifers that have pungent smell to cover up smell and discourage bugs Indeterminate Layers - lay replacement clutch (double clutching) - imprinting very high (use puppets in captivity) Asynchronous hatching - size hierarchy - siblicide Altricial Young - take ling time to mature - depend even after leave nest Fledglings - observe parents - parents bring home live but maimed prey so baby can learn to hunt - once fly follow parents around Slow repro rates (live long though) - slow to reach maturity - high nestling mortality - starve to death - California Condor - one chick every 2 years

diclofenac and the Asian vulture crisis

From 1992-2007, populations of three vulture species, the White-rumped,, Indian,, and Slender-billed Vultures in South Asia (specifically India, Pakistan, and Nepal) fell by more than 95 percent, prompting the IUCN to classify their status as critically endangered. This decline was due to secondary exposure to diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory drug given to cattle, a main source of food for the local vultures. After the vultures consumed dead cattle that had been treated with this drug, they became ill and died from renal failure. The environment also began to show the repercussions of using this drug. With fewer vultures, the presence of carrion increased. With the plentiful food supply, rats and feral dog and cat populations increased, leading to a rabies outbreak that later became a human health concern. India, specifically, has the highest rate of human rabies infection in the world, and dog bites are the main source. Vultures also help control livestock diseases such as brucellosis, tuberculosis, and anthrax by disposing of infected carcasses. Fortunately, in this case, diclofenac has been banned in India, Nepal, and Pakistan, but there are still other drugs being used that may be detrimental to these already threatened species. Studies are being conducted to determine what is suitable and safe to use in the environment.

although many raptors are threatened only two species extinct.

Guadalupe Caracara and the Reunion Kestrel are the only two known extinct species of raptors. Both of these species were isolated to island populations and therefore were susceptible to extinction with human persecution and depredations of habitat.

new world vultures not related to old world vultures, convergent evolution

New World vultures do not form a monophyletic clade with the superficially similar family of Old World vultures, but similarities between the two groups are due to convergent evolution. Many now consider them to be in their own order Cathartiformes, closely related to, but distinct from, Old World vultures and allies (Accipitriformes) New World vultures have a good sense of smell, whereas Old World vultures find carcasses exclusively by sight New World vultures are also genetically distinct from Old World vultures, yet evolved to fill the same niche of eating dead meat through convergent evolution.

peregrine falcon

almost extinct from DDT brought to big cities, ledge make ideal nesting sites and pigeons easy prey

the importance of vultures in the ecosystem and preventing disease

because vultures feed on dead animal carcasses, they help prevent the spread of disease the specialize in eating bones and dead animals (makes up 70-90% of their diet they eat dead animals, which many have been diseased. For example, Antharax spores are only able to develop when a diseased animal has been allowed to lie open to the air and sun for several hours, so there is good evidence that vultures are important inhibitors of anthrax by consuming infected carcasses before anthrax spores have had a chance to develop. They're essentially natures "garbage man" and provide cleaning services to ecosystems

bells, jesse, bewit, leash

bells - for sound to alert bewit - band jesse - between anklet and leash leash - hold onto bird leather strip to attach leash telemetry - track bird if gets loose

falconry equipment such as perches,

block - simple- just don't mess with tails need cushioned surface, typically a surface that doesn't hurt feet or file talons bow and ring - use with birds with shorter tails - rope over metal

hoods,

can be ornate active during daylight so calm by putting hood on bird so they think its night need to be able to unsnap quickly during hunt

scales

can't have sharp talons sitting on bare arm use thick leather gloves - leash can be attached scales monitor body weight - have to keep a little under normal body weight so will come to you for food

training an eyess vs a passager for falconry

eyess: Source - taken from nest or breeder Tameness - becomes tame and dependent on human Duration of Training - long - must teach bird to hunt Size Limitation of Prey - can train to hunt much larger prey Chance of Losing Bird - low (imprint on you) passenger: Source - caught during first migration Tameness - at best tolerate you Duration of Training - short - bird knows how to hunt Size Limitation of Prey - what used to in wild -won't go after something tried before that didn't work Chance of Losing Bird - high (have for 1 hunting season)

lure

for training piece of leather attached to rope that can swing and bird can attack it builds up bird endurance and teach it what you want it to hunt Garnish lure - have meat on lure - gives bird a treat will have live prey as last ditch effort to get bird back

be familiar with the basic physical characteristics and/or hunting techniques of:osprey

found throughout the world strong feet and specialized toes - tuber cells to hold fish (little suction cups) dive completely underwater for fish lake, river or coastal habitat turn fish for aerodynamics DDT killed off a lot

crow hawking and why crow hawking is difficult

hunting crows difficult and risky - have to get to bird immediately or flock or crows will attack it

game hawking

hunting pheasants, quail, pigeons, ducks ring up (gain altitude), wait on (fly in circular motion and get dog to flush birds), stoop (dramatic dive) falcon will bring it to ground and wait for hunter to get to prey

bald eagle; golden eagle

largest hawks heavy bodies large feet mixed Diets Bald Eagle - eats dead animals, fish and insects Golden Eagle - largest of our eagles - take baby goats and sheep sometimes calves and deer

specialized anatomy of raptors (mandibular notch, powerful feet with talons, supraorbital ridge)

mandibular notch powerful feet with talons supraorbital ridge- bony protuberance above each eye

the importance of the falcon/hawk's body weight in falconry

monitoring weight is essential (too heavy and not interested in hunting and too light loss of power and endurance)

harris hawk

not in Ga but in SW Buteo polyendry

reverse sexual dimorphism, and its importance in ensuring food for young

reverse sexual dimorphism - female 60-75% larger, can hunt different prey so can get baby double the food

merlin

smaller falcon eat small mice and birds populations went down from rat poison

American kestrel

smaller falcon populations went down from rat poison use UV to track urine pattern of prey

mantling

spreading wings and tail feathers to cover kill

define falconry

training raptors to hunt small game, game bird, or water fowl in partnership with man utilize raptor's instinct to hunt Hobby of nobility and popes used to be a way of life - way to get food for family firearms changed it to a sport

red-tailed hawk

use up drafts to soar Buteo in GA use perching and cooperative hunting techniqes

flying from the fist

walk in field - carry bird the entire time, remove hood for it to make dash ambush kind of hunting