Author Topic: Close up encounter with Hawk (Read 883 times)

bounder · « **on:** February 09, 2003, 12:01:06 PM »

Went out walking in the woods today with my boy (18 mths), and met a nice couple who were out with their Harris Hawk

I've visited lots of Hawk Conservancies and Falconry Centres before, but never just met someone walking along and flying a hawk with them...

Anyone else out there keep falcons or hawks. I'd really love to explore this aspect of animal ownership further, since I have always loved raptors but always thought it must crave a very special dedication and a lot of time.

The couple who owned this hawk were more realistic about it. Less bother than a dog, more than a cat.

They live in an urban area (like me) and said there were no real obstacles as such, just the short journey to somewhere they could fly her (the hawk's name is Gwendolyn I think).

I am so tempted.....

Maverick · « **Reply #1 on:** February 09, 2003, 02:14:27 PM »

Neat looking bird there. In an urban setting it would be a fine quiet way of pigeon control!

Rockstar · « **Reply #2 on:** February 09, 2003, 02:41:09 PM »

How do hawks taste when ya cook'em?

funkedup · « **Reply #3 on:** February 09, 2003, 02:49:15 PM »

Tastes like chicken.

Hangtime · « **Reply #4 on:** February 09, 2003, 03:25:42 PM »

Quote

Less bother than a dog, more than a cat.

And about as 'smart' as a rock.

Birds are one large collection of genetic insticts. You better hope your donut don't look like a field mouse when yah walk past his perch on the way to the shower.

bounder · « **Reply #5 on:** February 09, 2003, 05:22:29 PM »

Kerrist Hangtime, I thought I knew nothing about falconry, but then I read your post and now I am an expert in comparison.

A harris hawk would easily be able to tell the difference between your donut and a rabbit. Your donut wouldn't even raise any interest (but you're probably used to that by now, mind:D).

I'd like a Harris Hawk to hunt with, they are great for rabbits.

Of the hawks the harris is an intelligent bird. They hunt in packs in the wild. Of course it is a very tightly focussed intelligence, so not a petting animal.

Does anyone out there fly Hawks or Falcons?

In the UK (it's a long shot).

10Bears · « **Reply #6 on:** February 09, 2003, 06:03:22 PM »

What does Hangtime know..

Harris Hawks are some of the smartest of the falcon species. They do a tag team kind of thing while hunting. 1st one jumps in while the other pulls out, then squacks, the 1st one jumps in again.

Harris Hawks are cool I'd love to own a pair.

I have an Amazon yellow nap parriot I take down to fly at the beach.. he loves it.

Like any falcon, you need some special equipment to hold him.. When you pull out their traveling cage, they perk up like a dog when you get out his leash.

These are not dumb animals at all.

Toad · « **Reply #7 on:** February 09, 2003, 06:20:27 PM »

Yep, hawks are way smart.

I've heard tell they got such sharp eyes that as soon as the window opens even a sliver on a stopped pickup, they fly of their perch and fly fast. And far.

Hangtime · « **Reply #8 on:** February 09, 2003, 06:29:24 PM »

ROFL Toad!

10Bears · « **Reply #9 on:** February 09, 2003, 06:38:55 PM »

Bounder,

Another thing, these birds are a bit expensive.. remember they are meat eaters.. You can supplyment their diet for a few days w/ fruit, regular bird food and some of those 50 cent white mice from the pet store... But they gotta be flown and hunt for real food or you'll hear some complaining... So will your whole neighborhood.

I know the real reason Hangtime don't like em'... cause if they can't find no critters they zero in on the nearest [SIZE=10]cat![/SIZE]

I wonder if you could be sued for that heheh... "hey yer frikin bird just ate my cat!!!"

capt. apathy · « **Reply #10 on:** February 09, 2003, 07:58:34 PM »

quote
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How do hawks taste when ya cook'em?
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so this guy is hungry. he goes hunting for some food and finds nothing. at the end of his day he sees a hawk, shoots, & kills it.

so he starts a fire and roasts it on a spit. he's about 1/2 through eating it when a game warden comes up. checks out whats left of the hawk, & the stack of feathers and arrests the guy.

next morning the guy goes up before the judge. So he explains the whole thing to the judge. how he was starving and found nothing else and how he really had no choice.

so the judge feels generous that day and decides to cut the guy a break. he agreed that you'd have to be fairly desperate to eat a hawk.

as the guy is leaving the judge can't resist and asks him "whats a hawk taste like anyway?"

"A lot like an eagle"

Hangtime · « **Reply #11 on:** February 09, 2003, 09:10:01 PM »

Bird: "Polly wants a cracker"

Cat: "Piss off, flyboy"

Suave · « **Reply #12 on:** February 09, 2003, 09:26:52 PM »

Cat's are dumb, parrots are smart .

Parrots can put together puzzles and learn a vocabulary of thousands of words, and even form sentences.

Cat's can learn to toejam in a box in your house, actually they don't learn it, they're just tricked into toejamting there because the box is full of dirt .

Hangtime · « **Reply #13 on:** February 09, 2003, 09:36:31 PM »

I have a friend that has a couple of African Grey parrots.

They toejam all over her, her house, her furniture.. the place is always a stinky mess.

She's very proud of their vocabularys and docile nature.

I looked around her house again and decided she's just a lil brighter than the birds. But not much.

There's a reason the phrase "Bird Brain' is an insult.

Hawklore · « **Reply #14 on:** February 09, 2003, 09:41:37 PM »

Thats a nice looking hawk.

Gotta be careful with them, if you mistreat them "Or any other animal" they will retaliate, and if you do get one don't forget to put bells on its ankels, so it can't catch food, that way it always comes back.