This falconry video is part one in discussing aggression in cooper's hawks and watching for "on/off switches". It shares a technique for trading off lures and captured quarry that helps to eliminate aggression.
That makes a lot of sense now that you explained it. I was always wondering why many falconers, even those that are Master Falconers, prefer to use a Buteo such as a Red Tailed Hawk or a Harris Hawk rather than a Cooper's Hawk. Its all because of the on and off switches of these other hawks! If there's any Accipater that I could hunt with, there is a slight microscopic chance I could train a Goshawk! That's only because of the varied prey that this hawk catches. Otherwise, I'll be choosing a Red Tailed Hawk.
As a young kid I became fascinated with hawks when at a boy scout camp a guy had a red tail and an owl that he would fly and In thought it was so cool. Later I met a guy that was a falconer. He mostly flew red tails but he did tell me that the Coopers were difficult to train and were fiesty and could be stubborn....cool video
Great idea Ben, I am just starting my Goshawk now after his moult, must do this now, makes so much sense. Also loved your video about American Kestrels, I am on day 2 with a captive breed, parent reared female on the other side of pond in Ireland.
I never use a string to dangle the meat, I just throw the meat couple feet away from the birds and snatch up the the game or the lure. But you have to keep your eyes on their eyes because they'll turn around and grab your face in a blink of an eye. Basically it's a buyer beware type of bird.
Accipiters must make for some intense bird handling... the same speed that makes them great to hunt with, is not so great when it comes towards you and with prejudice. No falling asleep at the switch!
Hi Ben. I've only recently discovered your channel and as a falconer for nearly 12 years I'm very much impressed with your techniques. I'm looking forward to your future videos, especially the Redtailed Hawks. I have a male Red Tailed Hawk just now who's just finished his 1st moult, but is very aggressive to the un-gloved hand, which makes jessing up a joy.. I've tried lots of different things to gain his trust. Any tips will be welcomed.
Ben, although I don't recall you being there, it appears that you were observing me trying to train a Coop in the mid 80's very unsuccessfully! Aggression ain't in it! The Coop wisely "flew the coop" and we got reports later of her with her imped in tail, successfully catching pigeons in a city park without us.
Done something similar with a female Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) after a couple of weeks it learnt to pre-empt the throw, left the lure instantly a grabbed the hand it knew would be throwing the tidbit, ouch!. Good job it wasn't a female Goshawk!
Ben, my Coops is very aggressive toward the glove. Is it because I call her to the fist for recall, with tidbits? The empty lure switch works great. But if I put my glove down to her while she’s eating on the kill, she’ll leave the kill and hit my glove.
Reducing food association of food with the glove would definitely help some. But Cooper’s have sort of “on-off” switches. Especially if they are imprints. Either way, if the switch is on, they are likely to leave the kill and attach your glove or foot (or face 😳) if you approach. This is where an empty lure trade off can work well. Better that they leave the kill for a lure than your glove. In an ideal situation, once on the kill, I toss the ungarnished lure out opposite of me on their other side so they are moving away from me. The bird may or may not drag the kill with. But once they are claiming the lure instead is when I try to slowly grab the kill, and then do the third step of tossing meat or meat on some thread so the ditch the lure and move once again, away from me. Then I grab the lure while they eat, and wait for them to finish eating. Usually then they run around back and forth for a bit until the switch turns off, and then I pick them up.
Hi Ben Woodroff. My kestrel once she catches the lure or the prey, she doesn't go away with it, but she doesn't want to come to my glove. Please, i would like your help and opinion
Tidbits will always make a kestrel more social for sure. But most birds won’t carry prey back, at least not more than a few feet. But if you have her fly to the unvarnished lure and then offer a big reward on your glove, she should start carrying the lure in one foot and fly back to your glove 5-10 feet. If you do this enough, she will start treating small game like sparrows as the lure, and will instinctively fly back to your glove with it, as she will get food much quicker on your glove than by breaking into the bird she caught. But in general, most falconers just walk to their bird when it is on a lure or kill and pick it up. I definitely like to get my birds used to eating on the ground, be it lure or the kill or pre weighed good on a string. This serves as anti-carrying training. But as always, there are so many different directions you could go.
