Peregrine Falcon Kills Duck Midair

[LiveForTomorrow 23]

A Falconer attached a POV camera to his bird to get a pretty cool perspective.

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[Sakari 9,740]

Ban Falcons.

Cool video, Thank You.

Edited May 7, 2013 by Sakari

[g00dfella 185]

A Falconer attached a POV camera to his bird to get a pretty cool perspective.

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weaksauce, would have been a much better perspective from the ground....for some real action youtube golden eagle hunts, take down goats/wolfs/deer...

Edited May 10, 2013 by g00dfella

[Mr.United_Nations 2,670]

weaksauce, would have been a much better perspective from the ground....for some real action youtube golden eagle hunts, take down goats/wolfs/deer...

Give the guys some credit jeesh. Falcons are very fast and swift and its the POV of the bird

[redhen 1,482]

So is the falconer going to eat the duck? If not why does he go through the effort of obtaining a falconry license and training the bird? To make "cool" videos on Youtube? To pretend he's a medieval prince?

Falconry is akin to fox hunting, something that historically has mainly been practiced by nobility. That's why it's so popular in Saudi Arabia, too many rich people with nothing else to do but to put on airs.

[Purplos 866]

So is the falconer going to eat the duck?

Um. Maybe the falcon is?

Falcons don't eat salads ya know.

I think this is pretty neat.

[Ealdwita 6,769]

I've put a screen in front of my two in the hope that the pair of fat, lazy beggars will watch and get the idea!

BTW - The bird in the opening scenes is a Harris Hawk, not a Peregrine. Falcons are recovered to a lure - not to the 'fist'.

Edited May 10, 2013 by ealdwita

[Dark_Grey 11,225]

That...was a seriously cool video. I love that HD cameras are cheap enough for the average person to use now

[HollyDolly 238]

Pretty neat video. The bird is doing what comes naturally.Years ago as a little kid we were driving on Hausman Road.There used to be in the 1950s lots of cottontail bunnies around.Well my parents saw this owl,think it was a barn owl come swooping down and grab up a rabbit. The rabbit was making noises,almost like the bunny waS screaming.Momma told daddy, Oh Fred,the poor bunny,do something. Unfortuanely daddy said he didn't have his gun with him .He felt sorry for the bunny,but without it couldn't do much,and even then if the bunny was badly hurt,he would have had to shoot the bunny to put it out of his misery.Better to just let nature do it's job.

Don't know what the guy did with the duck,unless the bird ate it.

[redhen 1,482]

Um. Maybe the falcon is?

Falcons don't eat salads ya know.

Thanks for that newsflash. The point remains, the falconer is not going to eat the duck or any other bird that is brought down. This is not hunting for food. This is purely entertainment.

I think this is pretty neat.

Hmm, maybe I should post some "neat" videos of dogs being used to bring down "game" animals. The UM posting rules would forbid me though.

[Ealdwita 6,769]

So is the falconer going to eat the duck? If not why does he go through the effort of obtaining a falconry license and training the bird? To make "cool" videos on Youtube? To pretend he's a medieval prince?

During the course of the hunt, once a kill has been made, the falconer will remove the bird from its kill and substitute a 'tit-bit' of meat and fur to lure it back on to the fist ready to be put into the next quarry. The prey usually eventually ends up on the table with vegetables and gravy! If the falcon eats too much, it won't hunt again that day.

On the final kill of the day, I and most other falconers allow the prey to be eaten by the falcon as a reward.

Sorry, I'm not going to dignify your other comments with a reply.

Edited May 10, 2013 by ealdwita

[Mr.United_Nations 2,670]

So is the falconer going to eat the duck? If not why does he go through the effort of obtaining a falconry license and training the bird? To make "cool" videos on Youtube? To pretend he's a medieval prince?

Falconry is akin to fox hunting, something that historically has mainly been practiced by nobility. That's why it's so popular in Saudi Arabia, too many rich people with nothing else to do but to put on airs.

You do need to be rich to own a falcon, also its popular through out Europe, really some people need to watch animal docs more

[redhen 1,482]

The prey usually eventually ends up on the table with vegetables and gravy! If the falcon eats too much, it won't hunt again that day.

So what kind of birds (that your hunting bird brings you) end up your table, I'm genuinely curious?

Sorry, I'm not going to dignify your other comments with a reply.

What, about the dogs bringing down game animals? What's the ethical difference between falconry and bear/bull/hog baiting?

I have a strong interest in history, and I'm all for maintaining culturally important traditions, unless of course they are immoral holdovers from a more barbaric time period.

[Sakari 9,740]

Thanks for that newsflash. The point remains, the falconer is not going to eat the duck or any other bird that is brought down. This is not hunting for food. This is purely entertainment.

You actually have a point. This would be considered poaching in most, if not all States in the US. ( without the proper license )

I am sure though, that this person ( as any falconeer, I new a few ) are very responsible, and had these things.

Edited May 10, 2013 by Sakari

[Ealdwita 6,769]

So what kind of birds (that your hunting bird brings you) end up your table, I'm genuinely curious?

Mostly pigeon, duck and the occasional hen pheasant.

What, about the dogs bringing down game animals? What's the ethical difference between falconry and bear/bull/hog baiting?

I have a strong interest in history, and I'm all for maintaining culturally important traditions, unless of course they are immoral holdovers from a more barbaric time period.

Whatever I say, my answers will not satisfy a person with 'anti-hunting' views, but I'll give you my POV for what it's worth.

The differences between falconry and the other 'blood sports' you mentioned are - Firstly, the raptor is acting naturally and hunting for its food as it would in the wild. Secondly, the kill is always clean and practically instant - a better death than facing the slaughterman's axe in a vast, noisy shed after a long journey crated up in a lorry.

As far as hunting with dogs goes, as an ex-foxhunter myself, I will admit I cannot make a case for it that would satisfy a non-huntsman, so I'll not try, but neither will I accept that embedding a barbed hook in a fish's mouth and dragging it around a lake, is acceptable merely because it's traditionally looked upon as a 'working-man's' pastime.

And I can assure you, I am neither rich nor a member of the Nobility!

[redhen 1,482]

The differences between falconry and the other 'blood sports' you mentioned are - Firstly, the raptor is acting naturally and hunting for its food as it would in the wild.

as would trained or feral dog packs.

Secondly, the kill is always clean and practically instant - a better death than facing the slaughterman's axe in a vast, noisy shed after a long journey crated up in a lorry.

Always clean? see below.

As far as hunting with dogs goes, as an ex-foxhunter myself, I will admit I cannot make a case for it that would satisfy a non-huntsman, so I'll not try, but neither will I accept that embedding a barbed hook in a fish's mouth and dragging it around a lake, is acceptable merely because it's traditionally looked upon as a 'working-man's' pastime.

Both are acts of unnecessary pain, suffering and death, which is the legal definition of animal cruelty.

And I can assure you, I am neither rich nor a member of the Nobility!

Ok, I'll buy that. But I submit that if you mention falconry to the layman, they will conjure up images of romantic notions of medieval life.

I'm not that familiar with falconry practices, so I wonder how these predatory avians discern the difference between "game" animals and someones pet? To me it seems as indiscriminate as a snare or leghold trap.

[Sakari 9,740]

This is f'd up.....If the bird had never been a " pet " this would never have happened....( found it looking at other falcon vids )

[redhen 1,482]

This is f'd up.....If the bird had never been a " pet " this would never have happened....( found it looking at other falcon vids )

That's why the British Columbia SPCA is against falconry hunting.

I had a hunch why some people take up falconry. If you do a search for falconry and manliness or manly, you'll see lots of sites anf forums like this one.

Oooh, how manly.

[Likely Guy 20,658]

Semi related, I live in British Columbia.

About two weeks ago, I saw a bald eagle strike and kill a merganser in the middle of the river I live in front of. Kept it in it's claws as it swam it to shore. Two days ago, the same eagle took a spawning salmon, same thing.

The eagles live downstream in a huge nest 100 feet up in a cottonwood tree. They are an impressive bit of nature.

But, let's just say that I managed to attach a POV camera to that eagle while it conducted it's kills. Because the eagle's are not tamed that would be an awesome nature documentary. Attach the same camera to a semi-tamed falcon that kills a duck, then it's a blood sport.

Pardon me, while I sit on both sides of this fence.

Edited for clarity: If your falcon brings back the duck for you and him to eat, it's not a blood sport. If it just killed a duck for you, for entertainment, you should be charged.

Edited May 11, 2013 by Likely Guy

[Mr.United_Nations 2,670]

Semi related, I live in British Columbia.

About two weeks ago, I saw a bald eagle strike and kill a merganser in the middle of the river I live in front of. Kept it in it's claws as it swam it to shore. Two days ago, the same eagle took a spawning salmon, same thing.

The eagles live downstream in a huge nest 100 feet up in a cottonwood tree. They are an impressive bit of nature.

But, let's just say that I managed to attach a POV camera to that eagle while it conducted it's kills. Because the eagle's are not tamed that would be an awesome nature documentary. Attach the same camera to a semi-tamed falcon that kills a duck, then it's a blood sport.

Pardon me, while I sit on both sides of this fence.

Edited for clarity: If your falcon brings back the duck for you and him to eat, it's not a blood sport. If it just killed a duck for you, for entertainment, you should be charged.

birds of prey have always needed to kill thats why they are called birds of prey.

[Mr.United_Nations 2,670]

So what kind of birds (that your hunting bird brings you) end up your table, I'm genuinely curious?

What, about the dogs bringing down game animals? What's the ethical difference between falconry and bear/bull/hog baiting?

I have a strong interest in history, and I'm all for maintaining culturally important traditions, unless of course they are immoral holdovers from a more barbaric time period.

Theres probably more ducks than falcons or any bird of prey, like wise more dogs than foxes.

[redhen 1,482]

Theres probably more ducks than falcons or any bird of prey, like wise more dogs than foxes.

Hi Dick, (Nixon was a great president, imho). I assume you're responding to the moral difference question I posed. I understand your reasoning but I don't accept it.

By your logic, since there are more wild boar in the world than tigers, one should be allowed to hunt boars with tigers. Is that what you're saying? In general, if the predator species has less numbers than the game species, it's morally ok to hunt with them.

The UK Hunting Act of 2004 makes it a crime to use dogs to hunt foxes. Nowhere in the legislation is the argument given that there are less foxes than dogs, therefore they cannot be used to hunt. It's not based on animal population, it's based on protection of wildlife and previous animal cruelty laws.

Thanks for taking the time to give your opinion. I'd still like to hear from a practicing falconer like ealdwita.

[Mr.United_Nations 2,670]

Hi Dick, (Nixon was a great president, imho). I assume you're responding to the moral difference question I posed. I understand your reasoning but I don't accept it.

By your logic, since there are more wild boar in the world than tigers, one should be allowed to hunt boars with tigers. Is that what you're saying? In general, if the predator species has less numbers than the game species, it's morally ok to hunt with them.

The UK Hunting Act of 2004 makes it a crime to use dogs to hunt foxes. Nowhere in the legislation is the argument given that there are less foxes than dogs, therefore they cannot be used to hunt. It's not based on animal population, it's based on protection of wildlife and previous animal cruelty laws.

Thanks for taking the time to give your opinion. I'd still like to hear from a practicing falconer like ealdwita.

Not quite but its better to protect a species that is rare and vulnerable to extinction.