Sparrowhawks E-Book

Ben Crane

• Herausgeber: Crowood
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 434

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014

Beschreibung

Flying imprint sparrowhawks is often unfairly portrayed as being overly complex and highly technical. Sparrowhawks - A Falconer's Guide aims to paint a far more informed picture, and to perhaps dispel some of the myths. Written with the beginner in mind, it is based on considerable first-hand experience of the author and a number of other respected falconers from the United Kingdom, Croatia, Ireland and Turkey who have specialized in flying sparrowhawks. By drawing comparisons with some of the most ancient trapping and training techniques of the East, and by making a connection with modern Western falconry practices, this remarkable book encapsulates the timeless beauty and joy of sparrowhawking, which crosses all cultures. Topics covered include: equipment, preparing to receive your sparrowhawk chick and imprinting; training, behaviour, quarry, entering, field craft and hawking in many different types of terrain; methodologies of captive breeding in the West; problems associated with the rehabilitation and release of wild sparrowhawks in the United Kingdom and finally, the vitally important subject of sparrowhawk health and welfare. Superbly illustrated with over 200 colour photographs.

Leseprobe

Sparrowhawks

Ben Crane

The Crowood Press

First published in 2014 byThe Crowood Press LtdRamsbury, MarlboroughWiltshire SN8 2HR

www.crowood.com

This e-book first published in 2014

© Ben Crane 2014

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication DataA catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN: 978 1 84797 710 6

DisclaimerThe author and the publisher do not accept any responsibility in any manner whatsoever for any error or omission, or any loss, damage, injury, adverse outcome, or liability of any kind incurred as a result of the use of any of the information contained in this book, or reliance upon it. If in doubt about any aspect of falconry in general, or sparrowhawking in particular, readers are advised to seek professional advice.

Frontispiece: ‘Sparrowhawk’, by Dean Andrew Charles.

CONTENTS

Dedication and Acknowledgements

Introduction

1

Equipment, Preparation and Imprinting

2

Basic Training and Behaviours Prior to Entering

3

Entering, Behaviour, Quarry and the Field

4

A Croatian Perspective by Viktor Segrt, International Association of Falconry representative for Croatia

5

Licensed Wild-Take, Trapping, Captive Breeding and Passage Rehabilitation

6

Health and Welfare

Glossary

Index

DEDICATION

I would also like to dedicate this book to Elliott my son, and my dog Etta.

This book is also dedicated to the memory of ‘Bo’ a sparrowhawk belonging to Den Lucey, which produced three of the best spars I have so far flown or seen fly. She sadly passed away while this book was being written.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank the diverse array of falconry mentors I have had over the years. Including, in no particular order: Jay Bettesworth, Craig Hendee, Lee Featherstone, Jim Entwhistle, Kevin Massey, Teresa Massey, Karl Jennings, Ian Jenkins, Anthony Rigby, Salman Ali, Mike Read, Viktor Segrt, Steven and Holly Lambert, Tommy Miles, Neil Davies, Seth Anthony, Nigel King, Shaun Byrne and Adrian Hallgarth.

When writing a book based around technical knowledge, it is not done in isolation. Something as specialized as sparrowhawking requires merely standing on the shoulders of giants. Thanks and acknowledgements must go to the work of Jack Mavrogadato, Liam Ó Broin, as well as the unknown author as reprinted in Derry Argue’s book Training the Shortwinged Hawk. Without these inspirational books I would never have even dared to fly a European sparrowhawk, let alone try to add my own thoughts to the discussion.

Special thanks to Turan Basri for kindly contributing images for the chapter describing falconry in Turkey. With specific regard to Chapter 5, Hilary White would like to thank Rowland Eustace, Edward Mulligan, Liam Ó Broin, Tommy Byrne, Aaron Leavy, Paul Donohue, James Irons, Shay O’Byrne and Eoghan Ryan for contributing their observations. His section on wild take and sparrowhawk nesting habits would have been impossible without the input of wild raptor expert Martin Moloney. On looking at wild-take legislation, from local to EU level, thanks are due to David Norriss, Graham Irving, Gary Timbrell and Patrick Morel. Lastly, thanks to the Hon John Morris for his “unique” magpie-hawking photo.

I would also like to sincerely thank every contributor and all the falconers who have talked and read through the manuscript with me over the last few years, you know who you are and I could not have done it without you.

INTRODUCTION

Ranging over the green pastures and coppices of Ireland, along the hedges, woodlands and gardens of Great Britain, across the forests and vineyards of France, through mainland Europe to Croatia and further east into Turkey and beyond, is a pocket-sized predator silently and stealthily maintaining the natural avian order. This particular predator weighs up to 400g and hunts in breath-taking bursts of speed of up to 40mph (24km/h). She has a keen well-developed intelligence, is flexible in the face of changing environmental factors and possesses a robustness that transcends her size and stature. She is a born survivor and maintains a clearly defined niche across every conceivable European habitat. But despite being widespread and fairly common, this miniature hawk is only ever witnessed in thin slivers of experience: a snatched moment in a garden, a brief flash across a country lane, a pause at the top of a hedge before suddenly, with a quick flick of her wings, she dissolves back into the landscape. She is of course Accipiter nisus or the European sparrowhawk.

A stunning juvenile imprint sparrowhawk displaying her immature plumage that emulates and camouflages her in heavy woodland cover.

A partially fledged imprint chick with the beautiful blue-coloured eyes of a young sparrowhawk.

Standing roughly 40 to 50cm tall (15¾–19½in), with a long tail and short wings, she is of the Accipitridae family, all of whom are better known in falconry terms as the true hawks. The diversity and range of her quarry is astounding and delineates why sparrowhawks are such a successful species; it is also perhaps why they are misunderstood and vilified by many. She is adept at catching and killing our most revered garden song birds and all feathered quarry, up to and including, magpies, jackdaws and sometimes even crows; considering her size and stature, this hunting prowess is a truly remarkable feat.

During her first year she will have beautifully understated brown-flecked plumage; this is the perfect camouflage for an inexperienced young predator, unwelcome and feared by every species of indigenous garden bird. Her mottled brown-cream markings perfectly mimic the freckled light filtered through the leaves and branches of bushes and trees. The prey she successfully predates upon will often feed on the ground, so looking up through the fractal light of a woodland canopy, the broken lines of her plumage afford a split second of confusion and camouflage in order to make a strike. If she proves a competent hunter (one possessing the requisite skill and force), she will easily survive, and this plumage will slowly change to a slate grey-blue sheen of immaculate condition and maturity the following year.

The sparrowhawk’s eyes are extremely powerful and her binocular vision enables her to select and pin-point any moving target with ease. They are up to ten times more powerful than the human eye and embody the dynamic power of Darwinian evolution. As a chick her eyes are cornflower blue, and as the retina and cones develop, her iris slowly changes to an electric yellow and finally, in maturity, a dark burning orange of profound mesmeric beauty. Her legs are also an adaptive miracle being long, thin and used at lightning speed when thrust out during the last moments in the pursuit of a target. At the end of these exquisite legs are four lizard-like toes: three are at the front and one at the back. The central toe is the largest and most manoeuvrable and extends out like a long, large scythe. Each toe ends with a curved medically sharp talon used to pierce and grip any quarry. When examined closely, the underside of her feet reveal an undulating ridge of soft pads. Making a mid-air strike at small, fleeing birds requires a large surface area of friction. These pads act like Velcro when small feathers are trapped between the talon and foot. Under her scaled yellow legs, running from her toes and up over the bones, are tendons that have a ratchet system: once a small bird is caught, she is almost incapable of release as her feet are formidable traps waiting to be sprung.

Her delicate tail and perfectly formed wings are an extension of a bone and muscle structure evolved over millennia, enabling short bursts of speed and quick turning in dense woodland. She is an unparalleled woodland and hedgerow hunter. When fully committed and pursuing a target she will force it to make sudden, unexpected turns in order to evade capture. Her prey will often seek sanctuary under logs, dive through hedges or take cover in bushes. Reacting at astonishing speed, the sparrowhawk’s oversized tail will flare out; she will stall mid-air, turn with acceleration and chase the prey through any obstacle with aggression and tenacity. She will often use the cover of a hedge to make a quick, powerful flight of 100yd (90m) or more before rising sharply and flipping over into a flock of unsuspecting birds. At other times she will dart from a secret elevated position, snatching quarry mid-air or as they rise in flight. Her wings are so well-evolved that during hot summer months, when warm breezes rise over field and meadow, she will soar hundreds of feet above the earth. From this position she exchanges the cover of a hedge for the height advantage of a pure blue sky. Dropping at speed she can pluck songbirds delicately and precisely from the air or drive them to ground as they rise into the firmament. She also often displays cunning and bravery beyond measure and there are many instances of sparrowhawks dragging oversized prey to ponds and streams in order to subdue them. She has also been known, on occasion, to intelligently pursue and chase fleeing birds into solid objects, across busy roads or into windows to stun and incapacitate them. Once concussed or drowned, her meal is far easier to control and consume, thus wasting less energy.

The tools of the trade, these are the feet of a nearly fledged female sparrowhawk.

Smaller in size but no less efficient, these are the two feet of a young musket.

If she is healthy and strong and survives a hard winter, then around May of each year she will come into sexual condition and, along with the male sparrowhawk, begin nest building, displaying, copulation and egg laying. Her partner is considerably smaller and weighs between 100 and 200g (3½–7oz). The male is not only distinct by size and sex but also by name: he is referred to as a musket. If it is a good year she will lay, hatch and brood up to five or six chicks. It is likely that only two or three from the clutch will survive, with the rest succumbing to starvation and other environmental factors. The forces that drive her and her youngsters to predate on the slowest and infirm are the self-same processes that thin out the frailest of her offspring.

Her purpose then is simple: she is to kill and consume any bird displaying infinitesimally small weaknesses. A broken or missing feather, a slow wing-beat, a momentary lapse in concentration, stimulate a sudden reactive attack and in so doing she maintains, refines and promotes the best of both herself and any prey species targeted. Only the strongest of each will survive, so the balance between the sparrowhawk and her quarry is a perfect symbiosis of cause and effect, of life and death and of mutual survival. Predation in this context celebrates and maintains the natural beauty of both species.

As a young boy I spent my formative years exploring the English countryside hunting, trapping and fishing for all manner of fauna and flora. By the age of eleven I had raised and released many small birds, rabbits, moles, frogs, slowworms, snakes, and tickled trout and built numerous dens and hideouts. This experience of freedom, safety and the sublime beauty of nature still resonate with me to this day. And the desire to become immersed in, and be part of, the British landscape is what motivated me to eventually fly a sparrowhawk.

Initially, and like many starting out in falconry, I flew a Harris hawk in the pursuit of rabbits. This branch of falconry offered tremendous sport and built a foundation of practical experience that is crucial to success when flying more complex birds of prey such as the sparrowhawk (in fact before contemplating flying a sparrowhawk it is imperative you have had several seasons flying a larger hawk in order to gain experience and confidence). Over the seasons and inspired by many books, travel and my peers, it became apparent that I needed to refine my practise. The further around the world I travelled, the more I discovered falconry skills developed through naturally evolving seasonal activity. Nearly every country I visited, falconers were utilizing harvested or trapped wild hawks to produce the most profound falconry. Every flight at indigenous quarry pushed the hawks and falcons of each specific landscape to the most efficient, visual and awe-inspiring meditations on the power of nature. What followed was something of a ‘Eureka’ moment prompting me to ask myself one very simple question. Why was I using imported hawks (such as the Harris hawk) to hunt non-indigenous, invasive species like rabbits, when the British Isles has a formidable array of indigenous raptors, which make astonishing falconry hawks? Logically the training and flying of a sparrowhawk would bring me closer to the landscape of my heritage, as well as inspire a more technical and visually impressive type of falconry. I subsequently discovered that living vicariously through the mindset of an indigenous raptor, observing how, when and why certain prey behaved in certain ways, extended and expanded the burgeoning knowledge of my youth. But beyond this, hawking with, and learning about, the sparrowhawk has unlocked many and multiple secrets about myself, my culture and the natural world.

When and where the origins of falconry, and sparrowhawking in particular, began is debatable. What is beyond conjecture is that sparrowhawks are such efficient predators they have successfully been used to harvest food for thousands of years in nearly every country they originate from. In the East, from Turkey into the Muslim nations, sparrowhawks (and their subspecies) are still used to feed families as a matter of survival. In contrast, the West and mainland Europe now predominantly use captive-bred sparrowhawks for sport only, but the shared heritage between the East and West stem from the same source: this being the use of a supremely adapted predator to hawk wild, indigenous quarry on its own terms and in its own environment.

In the recent European past (and still commonly practised the world over), sparrowhawks were caught using nets or traps. These hawks were taken early in the year and used to gather food and then released at the end of the season; the falconers take note of the migratory paths of specific quarry species and observing which environment provides the exact conditions for the sparrowhawk provides the bedrock of all successful trapping. In order to feed a family year in year out, using trapped sparrowhawks requires a complete understanding of their ecology and biology. Despite the trapping of hawks being a valuable and unique tradition, it is now sadly in decline or completely misunderstood by many naturalists and falconers in Europe. In the West, laws have sensibly been passed preventing the interference or culling of all native raptors, so it is illegal to trap any bird of prey species in the United Kingdom, regardless of purpose. Rather than killing off falconry, this has inspired huge developments in captive breeding, incubation and artificial insemination, and so now European falconers have access to sparrowhawks as chicks and can experiment and develop methods of manipulating their behaviour otherwise not experienced by our eastern cousins. Between the ancient traditions of the East and the more modern processes of the West lies the complete story of how the sparrowhawk is used for falconry in the twenty-first century.

With greater access to chicks of between 8 and 21 days old, many western falconers now choose to imprint sparrowhawks. In fact this technique of rearing has now become so popular as to almost be the benchmark position for those wishing to fly a sparrowhawk. The process of imprinting is fairly logical. A sparrowhawk chick is taken from the breeder before it has developed any overt fear towards humans, dogs and any other unnatural experiences. It is hand-reared until adulthood and immersed in situations that it would normally innately fear. In the wild, fear is the perfect mechanism for survival. A young hawk will avoid anything that potentially causes harm, distress or death. Overcoming this fear is the key problem a falconer faces when training any bird of prey. Traditionally, short-circuiting fear is achieved by reducing food. Hunger (not starvation) is a great way to focus the mind and so, by association, situations that a hawk would find disagreeable become agreeable through a series of suitable rewards. The process of imprinting means the chick is immersed in these situations from the very start and so regards them as normal, without the necessity of a large reduction of rations when training and hunting. The negative aspect of imprinting is that by reducing the innate fear, the sparrowhawk displays a variety of behaviours that in the wild or with trapped hawks would not ordinarily occur. A common and specific example is noise: when even slightly reduced in weight an imprint sparrowhawk will call and beg from the falconer for far longer than its wild counterpart. This is understandable, as the hawk views him or her as a substitute parent and therefore a provider of all the necessary things for it to survive. In the wild, chicks that call for longer than their siblings will draw unwarranted attention and either scare potential food away or be killed by another predator. In the wild, silence is golden. With a domesticated imprint this is absolutely not the case. However, the positive aspects of imprinting a chick are numerous. They can be flown at healthier higher weights, they show a greater tenacity and higher level of aggression when hunting, and being an imprint, the relationship between the falconer and the hawk is indelibly strong. The bond between an imprint hawk and its falconer is of the highest order and arguably pushes the boundaries of what is possible when working with any bird of prey.

Small in stature they may be but a musket is a force to reckon with if you are a lark or small songbird.

But aside from these specific benefits, the simple fact of observing a tiny chick grow and become fully fledged is humbling. Studying the full life cycle of a sparrowhawk is mesmerizing, and as much as I would love to trap, train and return a sparrowhawk to the wild, the joys of the imprint, its complexity and lack of fear, create a far more holistic picture of them as a species. Witnessing the sparrowhawk chick make its first faltering steps, to be present when its feathers begin to emerge, to watch as it flies free, makes its first kill, bathes in streams, displays during the breeding season and then lays eggs, is profound and moving in the extreme.

There is no doubt that flying a sparrowhawk is demanding and highly technical, and for those wishing to fly sparrowhawks for the first time, often bewildering. I have therefore included a glossary at the back of this book, which deals with general falconry terminology, as well as subject-specific terms used by ‘sparviters’ (or those falconers who exclusively fly sparrowhawks). I have set out the chapters and consequent sub-sections in a logical and sensible format. The first three chapters deal specifically with how to own, imprint and fly a sparrowhawk of either sex (spar or musket), and the final three chapters discuss the global sparrowhawking tradition as it relates to the West, this includes trapping, wild-take, breeding and general medical issues.

Chapter 1 begins with the preparation and arrival of a sparrowhawk chick and contains anecdotes and information from a wide range of British falconers who have hands-on experience of flying many sparrowhawks. It outlines all the relevant equipment and housing required by the falconer, if this is his or her first imprint sparrowhawk. It has detailed explanations of how to imprint, including positive and negative behaviours the beginner will no doubt encounter. It also covers how to introduce a dog, how and when to use the lure, hand feeding and methods to limit the sparrowhawk carrying her kills into trees.

Chapter 2 covers the second stage of basic sparrowhawk training and the techniques required to move her toward ‘entering’ (or making her first kill). At this stage there are further negative behaviours the reader will experience, including excessive calling, and wayward or lost hawks. There are detailed explanations and solutions to prevent these normal imprint characteristics developing into more complex symptoms of a maladjusted or poorly imprinted sparrowhawk.

Chapter 3 then moves forward and outlines methods and processes required to enter a sparrowhawk, as well as various behaviours encountered around the first few kills. There are specific examples of how to transfer the hawk from her kill and on to the glove, as well as detailed explanations regarding car hawking, aggression, mantling (or covering kills), carrying a kill due to fear, leaving the kill, attacking the falconer, correct handling, weight and condition, as well as expansive sections on quarry types, methods of hawking, the most productive land and the complex issue of ethics and licence requirements. With this subject in mind it must be stated from the outset that, unlike most other branches of falconry, sparrowhawking has to abide by very strict depredation laws. Once a sparrowhawk is released from the fist it is no longer under total control and could potentially kill or capture protected species. The beginner needs to be acutely aware that before they even contemplate flying a sparrowhawk, applications to Natural England need to be made for specific quarry licences to hunt and kill any licensed quarry species. The authorities are extremely helpful in this regard and have far-reaching scientific data, which are used to provide you with the correct number of species allowed to be legally taken (www.naturalengland.org.uk). If you fail to obtain the correct licence, coupled with permission from any landowner, you may well incur prosecution, fines or, in extreme cases, incarceration and a lifetime ban from owning birds of prey for the purpose of falconry.

Chapter 4 is written by Viktor Segrt, who is the International Association of Falconry (IAF) representative for Croatia; he has spent many years training, hunting and breeding a variety of sparrowhawks and goshawks. Viktor is also an experienced dog-handler, running and training German Short-Haired Pointers bred by the World and European pointing champion Hari Herak. Viktors’ chapter includes the history of sparrowhawking in Croatia, diet and feeding, the falconer as food source, the benefit of aviary-raised sparrowhawks over the food imprint, the use of the lure with the imprint spar, introducing dogs and a case study of a wild, rehabilitated sparrowhawk that was used to hunt migratory coturnix quail.

Chapter 5 returns to the origins of sparrowhawking and brings together the Eastern and Western traditions of ownership. It is divided into four separate but interconnected sections relating specifically to trapping sparrowhawks, wild-taken sparrowhawks, captive breeding and the rehabilitation and release of injured sparrowhawks. Hilary White is a highly regarded Irish falconer and writes in depth about legally taking wild sparrowhawk chicks under licence from Ireland. The strict laws and provisions required to take a chick for imprinting are only the beginning of this fascinating tradition. Hilary discusses how to locate a nest, the nestling’s behaviour, feeding methods of wild hawks and their natural history. He also contributes a variety of training methods with the help of Rowland Eustace, Liam Ó Broin and other members of the Irish Hawking Club

Dogan Simit and Salih Doğrusadik are International Association of Falconry (IAF) representatives from Turkey; these two falconers represent the last vestiges of a trapping tradition that is slowly dying out in this country. The methods Turkish falconers use to capture wild sparrowhawks are unique and encapsulate the whole life-cycle and delicate ecosystems that sparrowhawks have evolved from. Using a small insect, Turkish falconers trap a small bird, which in turn is trained and used to trap migrating sparrowhawks in the Bosphoros region of Turkey. These sparrowhawks are then used to hawk or hunt up to ten migratory quail a day. This food is incredibly valuable and the authors explain the natural and cultural history sparrowhawks play in traditional Turkish culture.

In the third section of Chapter 5, Den Lucey, Rob Cole and Alfred Cattherall discuss the methodologies of captive-breeding sparrowhawks in the West. Some of these methods have never been published before and so this section brings together three varied but successful approaches, including raising a breeding imprint pair, behaviours during the season, chamber construction, incubation and artificial insemination.

The final section considers the problem of rehabilitation and release of wild sparrowhawks in the United Kingdom. Although it is illegal to trap or capture wild sparrowhawks in Britain, it is often the case that the sparviter will be called on by a vet to help rehabilitate injured or sick spars or muskets. In many respects this process relates directly to the tradition of trapping wild hawks. The contributions by Lee Brindley and Ian Jenkins capture the magic and delight of releasing a wild sparrowhawk after nursing them back to health and discuss the problems they encountered along the way.

Chapter 6 is arguably the most important part of the book as sparrowhawks are renowned for being highly strung and extremely delicate. This means that they succumb to injury, disease and accidents far more quickly than almost any other hawk. Over the years I have encountered most of the likely injuries the beginner will experience, so I have described in detail the symptoms and causes for many of the likely aliments a falconer can expect. The avian vet and falconer Karl Jennings provides information and technical descriptions of the specific types of medications and compounds used, and the possible reactions the hawk may face whist recuperating.

Taken as a whole this book encapsulates many decades of sparrowhawking experience from across the European Union and beyond. This information has been collated to help the beginner on their quest to improve both their falconry practise and to do justice to an incredible raptor. My sole aim is to help promote the passion that the contributors collectively feel about falconry in general and sparrowhawking in particular. We have put into this book as much of our shared knowledge as possible in the hope that between all of these collective voices, you the reader, will be able to unlock your own experiences and have as much fun and as much excitement as we do when flying a sparrowhawk.

Good luck!

Lee Brindley’s son Reece gets to know one of Europe’s most impressive predators.

CHAPTER 1

EQUIPMENT, PREPARATION AND IMPRINTING

The correct equipment and the correct preparation of equipment required to keep your sparrowhawk safe and in fine fettle are paramount. In its first season a spar will be a highly strung and temperamental creature, and I suspect most feather and leg damage happens because the beginner underestimates how scatty and erratic an imprint sparrowhawk can be. Any small weakness in the quality of your sparrowhawk’s furniture or equipment will be ruthlessly exposed when least expected, and when a tail feather breaks, or she injures herself in some other way, it is distressful and thoroughly disappointing.

A newcomer to sparrowhawking should consider that an imprint sparrowhawk could easily be described as being three hawks rolled into one. The first is a lovely, rapidly developing little chick that is calm, interested and very inquisitive in nature. The second is the hawk in its first season, which when reduced in weight and introduced to hunting becomes hysterical, noisy and aggressive, and leans towards a highly complex borderline personality. The third is the mature spar, which has characteristics somewhere between the first two, and although calmer, still possesses the capacity to confound and surprise in a split-second if the falconer is not vigilant. As a result, the equipment and preparation for a new sparrowhawk chick is very specific and the beginner may not be fully aware of what is required to keep the hawk in perfect condition for the whole of her natural life. At all times you should remember that pre-empting the worst-case scenario and being proactive when providing your hawk with the best care available, are the only legitimate ways to keep your new hawk from harm and in perfect condition for the whole season.

LEASHES

Leashes are a vitally important piece of equipment, as they prevent the hawk from escaping out of her mews (housing) or flying off while tethered to her perch during the day after bathing. I like to use a traditional loop-leash made from multi-coloured braided Dacron. The multi-strands on traditional Dacron loop-leash create a bumper or mild elastic-type effect, softening repeated bating or flying off the perch while tethered, thus helping to avoid any bruising or sores forming on your sparrowhawk’s feet and ankles.

The choice of a traditional loop-leash rather than a button, knot or a normal loop-leash is simple. Unlike these other styles of tethering, the loop folds through the swivel passing back through itself neatly. The leash then runs smoothly from the swivel, to the perch ring, preventing any tangles. As it is a complex and streamlined knot, your sparrowhawk will be unable to pick and pluck it open. Unlike normal loop-leashes, the traditional loop-leash is easy to undo, as the two loops aid separation when fingers are numb with cold.

SWIVELS

Swivels are used to prevent the tangling of the jesses (leather ankle straps) and leash on the sparrowhawk’s feet and ankles. I find the labelled sparrowhawk swivels available from various falconry suppliers too small to be of appropriate use. I often find that as the young spar continuously bates (flies off a perch) in the mews, smaller swivels prevent the free turning of the jesses and leash, this leads to tangles and leg-scale damage whilst on the perch. In order to circumvent this problem I tend toward a slightly larger swivel than normal. An added bonus of a larger swivel is that the extra weight will keep the jesses hanging straight down and away from tail feathers when the hawk is on her loop-perch in the mews or out on the lawn.

All swivels should be of the highest calibre and be as expensive as you can afford. Under absolutely no circumstance should they be cast iron or made of brass. These will snap easily, which, of course, will mean a sparrowhawk flying free inside her mews (secure housing) potentially becoming strung up, and at best breaking a leg or at worse being killed. I use both standard and ‘Sampo’ style swivels on a regular basis, but have found on the odd occasion some of the cheaper ‘Sampo’ style swivels accumulate ground-down sand in the barrel, which can compromise turning. Whatever choice you make, and no matter how confident you are in your equipment, constant observation and vigilance is the only way to keep your hawk totally safe.

Steel clip, swivel and traditional loop-leash.

The leash folds back on itself and the first loop passes inside the locking loop.

The end of the leash then passes through the first loop.

The leash is then pulled tight and produces a perfectly smooth system for tethering.

CLIPS

Due to the small size of the spar and in particular the musket, you will be able to use a clip to attach the jesses to the swivel and leash. This tethering system was first described by Liam Ó Broin in his book The Sparrowhawk: A Manual for Training and there are two types of clips generally used in this context. The first is the all-in-one swivel and clip used by sea fishermen, and having used them in the past I now avoid them as their machined nature has meant that, on occasion, weaknesses in the swivel section has led to them snapping. I have now opted to use a single, wire, heavy-duty clip made from 1mm stainless steel. This particular type of clip can be passed through the top of the swivel and attached directly on to the jesses. The free-moving and removable nature allows the clip to be examined for damage and weaknesses on a daily basis. The design also makes it impossible for an errant beak to compress and unclip it from the jesses. I have used these clips successfully and without issue for many seasons and will continue to use them as an integral part of my sparrowhawks’ tethering system.

JESS SETS

Most falconers use almeryi anklets on their hawks, which were invented by Major Guy Almyer and are a two-piece jess system, comprising of small, leather cuffs fixed with a brass rivet at the back, enabling the free turning of the leather jesses. Countless falconers use them without issue on their sparrowhawks, but after having small blackthorn branches poking through the brass hole at the back, I have now opted to use traditional jesses on my sparrowhawks. Unlike other larger hawks, a small branch tangled in the anklet will cause the sparrowhawk to be strung up in a tree or as, in my case, deep inside a blackthorn bush. If you choose to use almeryi anklets, then of course all brass rivets should be the correct size, the leather soft but not stretchy, and keep any rivets away from the ankle, and always look for scabbing or sore points in the first few weeks due to your hawk bating.

Traditional jesses are an all-in-one anklet and jess that does not require changing over in the field or back at home. Traditional jesses are a complete unit and so this part of the tethering system (like the traditional loop-leash) runs smoothly from the ankle down while on the glove or loop-perch, and prevents any tangles with branches or bushes. Whatever your choice, either traditional or almeryi, make sure all leather is treated regularly, particularly after bathing or when wet to prevent it from becoming hard and rubbing abrasively on the sparrowhawk’s ankles.

For a traditional jess, cut an oversized piece of leather in this shape.

Holes and slits are cut and punched either side of the circular anklet.

The front slit is then folded around and then passed back through the second slit.

The end of the jess is then fed through the first slit.

The jess is then pulled tightly until the anklet is completed.

The jesses are then trimmed to size and a hole punched in the end for the clip, swivel and leash to be attached. The whole tethering system runs smoothly from ankle to perch.

BELLS

A good bell has saved many a wayward hawk from becoming permanently lost. The size and the perfectly camouflaged plumage of a young sparrowhawk make them near impossible to locate if they choose to wander off and not return when recalled. As a result, bells should be as light as possible and as loud as possible. This will vary enormously from falconer to falconer. I am always amused when falconers discuss the loudness of a bell as if noise is a universal constant. As different humans have different eyesight and different levels of fitness, likewise the sound of a bell should suit the individual ear.

I personally use small Lahore bells in silver and, although initially quiet, I find they end up with a tone that I can personally detect in high winds and rain. This may be different for you, so by all means experiment. Whatever your choice of bell, I personally prefer to mount on the leg. I have mounted on the tail on numerous occasions and lost both single and double-deck tail feathers. I have a suspicion that a pulled feather in the first year damages the base of the tail (the area the feather emerges from), thus precipitating continued weakness in that particular feather when it grows back. The bell on the leg can be mounted using a small leather cuff or ‘bewitt’, which folds back in on itself, fitting snugly around the ankle above the jess set on either leg.

TELEMETRY

Many of the flights with a sparrowhawk are short-lived and do not usually travel a great distance but I never fly without some form of telemetry or radio-tracking. I personally believe this should be a legal requirement on every bird of prey flown free in the United Kingdom. Telemetry for the sparrowhawk should be small, robust and lightweight. My preference is the ‘Merlin mini’ system mounted on the opposite leg to the bell. I have yet to mount telemetry on the back of the hawk, and have heard the best and highest praise for this method. I have seen back mounting used many times on falcons and I have nothing but respect for the system. As with bells, there is also the option to mount the telemetry on the tail, I have done this several times and it has always resulted in the transmitter catching on a fence or other object resulting in damaged or pulled tail feathers.

Proper telemetry leg-mounting is not in the least bit problematic in terms of performance and strike rate for a sparrowhawk. The hole for the mount needs to be at the top of the traditional jesses, close to the back of the leg; alternatively you can attach the transmitter via the slits of the anklet. If the transmitter is mounted too low or too far out, a ‘see-saw’ motion can occur during slipping (flying the hawk at quarry), which will cause reddening and a small scab to form. Any damage to a sparrowhawk’s leg due to mismatched furniture and telemetry needs to be dealt with immediately.

With a transmitter it is imperative to keep the aerial straight out behind the barrel at all times, enabling a clear, correct signal from the transmitter and so speeding up the retrieval of an errant hawk. Using a double layer of shrink-wrap tubing (found in fishing tackle shops) along the length of the aerial will keep it straight, even when pulled and plucked by the spar. Experiment with minimal and maximal aerial length (by cutting it to suit) but the benefit of a shortened aerial length will, of course, be offset by the distance the signal travels and the optimum distance for tracking is thus reduced.

A Merlin mini-transmitter with shrink-wrap tubing to keep the aerial straight.

GLOVES

Gloves should be single-skinned, hard and lightweight. If the glove is too soft, then frustrated gripping by an immature hawk can prevent a clean flight, often resulting in a sparrowhawk swinging frantically under the glove. As a precaution I give all new gloves a hot wash and dry quickly (using a hairdryer or radiator) on my fist. This hardens the leather to the contour of my hand and prevents overt gripping becoming a nuisance when hawking.

WEIGHING SCALES

Due to the size of a sparrowhawk, it is imperative that the weighing scales you choose to use are absolutely accurate and stable. I make no distinction between digital or finely tuned and very well-made balance scales. It is important that you can measure well within 1g (0.35oz) increments, as anything larger than this will mean you will not be able to be precise with weight management. Proper weight-management is a serious issue when training and beginning the hawking season, and I would suggest that poor weight-management (either too heavy, too low or reduced too quickly) is arguably the number one problem that initiates overly negative behaviour and poor field performance with all imprint sparrowhawks.

PERCHES

The correct perches are without doubt the most significant pieces of equipment a falconer will need when flying a sparrowhawk. If the perching system is not correct, then a variety of problems will occur, and rapidly so. Foot and feather issues due to poor perches and bad surfacing should not happen in this day and age. The simple rules for a sparrowhawk perch are: correct width, correct softness, cleanliness and absolute safety.

An imprint musket on a soft, wide, training perch, which allows him to jump between his nest and the perch. This perch will be exchanged at a later date when tendons and bones have hardened off.

Even if the perching system is well-constructed you should understand that a foot injury caused while hawking may not become apparent immediately. A committed sparrowhawk will crash into blackthorn and bramble bushes repeatedly. Blackthorn, in particular, can leave a partial tip embedded in the ball of the foot. A cut or a piercing of this type may take a few weeks to become an apparent problem before both the injury and unsuitable perch have caused insurmountable problems for the vet. If the perch is too thin and pressure is focused on the ball of the foot, then (as happened to one of my spars) the tip of the thorn can become sealed into the foot, leading to a waxy substance building up inside, leading to pododermatitis or foot sores.

No matter what design you choose, your sparrowhawk’s perch must be wide enough to spread the weight of the hawk evenly, be easily gripped and be forgiving enough so as not to cause bruising or sores. Never use a post perch, bare rope, coconut matting, a hard smooth surface or small-diameter tubing, as these will cause major foot problems over successive seasons if an injury has been sustained while hunting.

When your spar is fully grown, flying free and hunting, then the safest and most desirable perches that you should consider using include a high-shelved loop-perch, an ‘up and over’ Perspex bow, a rotating ring-perch and a bow perch with the correct curve and ring size. I have used all of these perches and will continue to experiment with any new designs that arrive on the market, but I have found these four achieve consistent results by eradicating foot and feather damage completely. During the day and for night-quarters, the only perch that should be used is a high-shelved loop-perch behind a mesh screen and secured door.

A loop-perch is by far the best design, as it means the ring always sits on the ground, keeping the leash away from the tail. The solid board running across a shelf in the mews prevents the sparrowhawk from dipping under or through the perch, thus becoming tangled, and the ring cannot under any circumstance become trapped or jammed on the metal loop and lift the leash through the tail, damaging feathers.

Musket on a high-shelved loop-perch. Note the perch extends the full width of the mews and that the metal loop folds over the cross board.

Trapped passage sparrowhawks in Turkey sitting pretty on temporary swing perches.

My preferred surface for a high-shelved loop-perch is spiked plastic AstroTurf type matting. Under this matting you should attach soft sponge or pipe lagging along the top edge of the cross board. The loop-perch surface should be wide enough to open and distribute foot pressure evenly. You should also remember that, when installing the loop-perch in the mews (the hawk’s housing), it must span the full width of the shelf; too short and the leash will become tangled around the outer edges of the cross board. It should also be a sensible distance from the back wall to prevent bent and mute (excrement) covered tail feathers becoming a problem. It should also be far enough away from the front edge of the shelf so that the hawk is not able to bate (launch forward) over it, or repeatedly flap its wings on the front edge thereby damaging feathers. The metal loop and ring must be made of the highest grade steel possible, and the loop itself be screwed securely, or lock nuts used, when attaching it to the shelf. The loop should have enough clearance over the top of the board for the ring to slide over freely. It should also be perpendicular to the perch surface and loop over at the horizontal centre of the board.

During the times when I am at home and can monitor the sparrowhawk continuously, I use a standard bow-perch, an up/over perch, a ring perch or a portable loop-perch that can be pegged into the ground. Please be aware that, on badly constructed bow perches, the ring will often remain on the crest or apex of the arc when the hawk bates forward. The leash then lifts through the tail, bending and damaging feathers. With a ring perch, an ‘up and over’ perch or portable loop-perch, the leash being pulled through the tail is completely eradicated as the ring on each of these perches drops or remains on the ground at all times.

On any portable or fixed bow-perch I tend to use a wide, soft, rubber surface. Sponge pipe-lagging is again wrapped around the bow and then covered in elasticated rubberized tubing. This provides a forgiving surface that is clean and safe. A soft rubber surface is described by the falconer and avian vet Neil Forbes (BSc, MVCS) as being the most hygienic of all perch surfaces. I have also used swing perches and they do help a young hawk remain calm and static; used incorrectly or by an inexperienced falconer they can lead serious problems very quickly. Used correctly on a well-conditioned spar with a highly competent falconer they are remarkable. The combination of height and training leads to a very stable, feather-perfect sparrowhawk sitting in a stimulating environment for all to see.

This is not for the fainthearted, but these Turkish sparrowhawks seem to be stable and content on this temporary high swing perch.

MEWS

I use two types of mews or housing for my sparrowhawks. The first is in daily preparation for hunting, as well as overnight quarters, and is in constant use for the duration of the season. The second is a secluded free loft aviary used for the moult at the end of the season and is discussed in detail in Chapter 5. The daily mews should be in a quiet area of the garden, be clean, dry and, importantly, draft-free. Inside the mews, a shelf should be built and installed at chest or, even better, eye level (this will vary depending on how tall or short the falconer is), and be as wide as the mews and about 4 to 6ft feet deep (1–2m). The dimensions of this shelf can be more or less depending on the falconer’s circumstance. The loop-perch can then be screwed into the shelf towards the back.

Behind the perch, I hang or staple plastic sheeting, which can be changed easily when it becomes covered in mutes over the season. A soft surface, such as cork, carpet or rubber, should then be placed on the shelf at the front and back of the loop-perch, and this should then be covered in about 4 to 6in (10–15cm) of clean sand, pea gravel or other suitable substrate. If you have too little sand or gravel and a hard wooden shelf, the hawk will blunt her talons when bating, which will hinder success when flying free and hunting. The mews should cover the sparrowhawk on three sides, with no windows, and have a solid roof. The front should have a mesh door that can be locked securely during the day allowing fresh air and light to circulate, while keeping the hawk safe if the leash or jesses snap.

A mesh door will also provide her with a stimulating scene during the day, keeping her from becoming too bored. The mews should also have a solid door that can be closed over the mesh screen locking your hawk safely away during the night. I would also advise insulating the walls (foam board is best) and roof to aid temperature regulation in cold weather, preventing any dramatic weight loss if you make a mistake with your sparrowhawk’s rations.

This is the basic plan for a high-shelved loop-perch and daily mew. This design can be adjusted accordingly, depending on the falconer’s circumstance.

HEAT AND HEATING 1

Prior to the onset of the deep, dark, cold winter nights, I wholly recommend purchasing a red spectrum heat-lamp and hanging it above, or placing it to the side, of your sparrowhawk. I find a bored or dehydrated sparrowhawk will often make a half-committed flight before splashing into a stream at dusk, even in minus temperatures. Putting a cold and wet sparrowhawk away in such conditions will result in dramatic weight-loss overnight, placing your spar at risk of death. If she does have a late bath, then a wet hawk should be dried off indoors and then safely left under a lamp controlling weight-loss overnight. You should also be aware that September and October in the United Kingdom are not what they once were and temperatures can be very high during the day. So even though I advocate lagging and heat insulation for the winter, this combined with a dark roof during sunny days can make the daily internal temperatures of the mews dangerously high. With correct ventilation and a mesh door this is easily remedied; however, during these hot spells observe how well your sparrowhawk hydrates and use a small fan below the shelf to circulate the air, if required.

HEAT AND HEATING 2

During the season and once flying free, you will slowly come to understand your sparrowhawk’s metabolism and it is possible to accurately predict weight loss over any given 24-hour period. Sometimes, however, even the most observant falconer will make mistakes in this particular area. The correct weight of your hawk is contingent on temperature, how many flights the hawk has had and the type of food she has consumed. For example, I have flown a spar hard on multiple slips during a very mild November day. At the end of the session I fed half-rations in accordance with the weather, ready to hunt the following afternoon. Overnight there was a sudden and unexpected drop in temperature resulting in a hard frost. In the morning the sparrowhawk was much lower in weight than I had estimated. If I had left her all day in these unexpected cold temperatures she would have been too low in the afternoon and so would have been unable to hunt. To remedy or counteract this continued drop in weight I used the heat lamp throughout the day. Without the lamp I would have had to feed her before she had time to regurgitate or cast her daily feather pellet to keep her weight at a healthy level. Feeding prior to this casting is not recommended, as it can cause insurmountable health problems, but the prospect of an underweight hawk on my return from work was also not worth considering. Using a heat lamp during the day and adjusting the ambient temperature allowed me to safely regulate weight and condition until I returned home and prepared the hawk for flying.

TRAVEL

Throughout her life there will be numerous times when you need to take your sparrowhawk on long journeys. You may wish to take her to various field meets, to your own private land or perhaps to the vet. Whatever the reason for travel, she will need a safe and secure place to enjoy her time between locations. I have used a variety of different travel boxes, some plastic and some wooden, and from my own experience (as with swivels) many of the labelled boxes built and sold by falconry retailers fall far short of the requirements of a sparrowhawk. Diminutive in stature sparrowhawks may be, but they need to turn easily and their high respiratory rate means that carbon dioxide and moisture build up incredibly fast if the box is not large enough. Every spar I have owned has always preferred a large space between their wings and the side of the box, so a box suitable for a female Harris hawk/goshawk is best.

Any travel box should have one of the ventilation holes enlarged in order to mount a small 10V computer fan (available from Maplins electrical store) on the side. This can be used to regulate temperatures on long journeys and in any cases of aspergillosis it may also be used for the nebulization of F10 avian disinfectant, which will be administered by the vet.

WATER 1