Lost Bird with Hood on in AZ

[Saluqi]

This post came from a bird watching listserver.

Over the last few months there have been reports of falconry birds lost with their hood on, there is no excuse for such loss, all birds are capable of bating, even those that are hooded. Please keep your hawk tethered until the hood removed.


Subject: Lost falconers falcon or hawk
From: Victor Lewis <azvegasvic AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Sun, 17 Jan 2010 15:51:12 -0700

today around 300 pm or so i was at buters lake i saw at the top of the
fourth cottonwood tree what appeared to be a falcon or accipiter with a hood
over its eyes. i saw it 2 days before but could not see its head and thought
from what i could see it was a perigrine but today im thinking a coopers
but without my binoculars not sure. But 2 other people could see the hood.
hope some one has reported it missing and can get it back. i am supprised it
could last in the wild unless it can see somehow . good birding
vic lewis scotttsdale az

[Himiko]

I'm surprised the bird would manage to get to that roost in a tree. The bird must have some vision out of that hood (perhaps that's why it flew in the first case. If it can't see how is anyone going to get it down?

I have seen two falcons freed accidental while hooded. Neither case ended well. People need to have a routine for dealing with their birds and be very disciplined. Bill

[ericedw]

I'm surprised the bird would manage to get to that roost in a tree. The bird must have some vision out of that hood (perhaps that's why it flew in the first case. Bill

Well, sort of hard to beleive a birder wouldn't know if it's a peregrine or coop without binos but it could see a hood without binos.

I've seen this happen and it is completely avoidable but it's hard to imagine a hooded hawk flying around for a few days.

[sevristh]

I find it even harder to believe that a birder would see a bird in that situation and just say "Welp, there it is....it's screwed, but I'm just going to document it and go back home...."

Even if it wasn't MY bird I'd sure as hell try everything I could to get it down, or at least if you were unable you should be able to tell by the way it flies whether it has some vision from the hood.

Oh, but wait...I forgot, that birder is probably from the 98.7% of the population that lacks common sense.

[borderhawk]

I had seen a hooded redtail get loose because the falconer wasn't holding the jesses, and this was in the field getting ready to release the bird to hunt. He circled blindly nearly missing a piece of farm equipment quite a few times before gliding low enough that a preapprentice could bump him on the back forcing him to ground. Scary.

Since that post was signed as being in Scottsdale AZ, I went ahead and cross posted it to the AFA club forum.

[Hawkmom]

Things like this is why is got away from the traditional leash/swivel system. I use the coastlock swivels for everyone except the Eagle Owl and Golden. When moving my hawks about. I always keep one jess clipped to the coastlock. I have a couple of really strong birds that can pull jesses out of my hands (1000 gram female Harris' and redtail) not the mention the Eagle Owl or Golden. Which are clipped with TWO clips on my glove. One for the swivel, one for the jess. When putting a bird on a perch to weather. I hold them in TWO places. One on the leash, as second hold on the swivel. They are much faster than us and can slip away before we can blink. Nothing trains you about quickness like accipiters, especially Cooper's hawks. You MUST take extra precautions with them.

I'm pretty sure that the lost hawk is likely a Cooper's they are SOOO quick it is really easy to loose one without a secondary leash or clip system when moving them about.

I have some photos on www.internationalfalconryacademy.blogspot.com

[Himiko]

I always consider the fact I could trip. I have always maintained two clipped in jesses. Then transferring a bird from glove to perch it is one jesse at a time and in the field the hood comes off before any jesses BUT some will hood their accipiters yet hold only the jesses.

Years ago folks used a big, open ended pin type system to keep the jesses held. I never tried it so can't remember if it was in combination with the hood or not. Haven't flown anything "out of the hood" in years. I have seen photos of birds "perched" for a photo op. hooded but not leashed to anything solid. Another risky practice that could result in a free hooded bird. Since the internet seen lots of photos of birds clipped to glove on a kill (another photo op) but nothing more solid. (I think the gradual change from bag to vest by many has resulted in nothing heavy to clip the bird to.) These birds could end up flying off dragging a leash and glove if bumped by something. Not as bad, in some ways, as being hooded but not good. Bill

[Ken S.]

We all hate to hear/read of this type of thing, and of course it should never happen. I cringe too when I see pictures of a hooded hawk perched on a fence post or something for a victory picture untethered. Some hawks will sit like a statue when hooded but why take the chance... it's a bad habit. I have noticed in the past that the cooper's hawks I've had all stayed more active in the hood than my other hawks. (Noticeably more than my RT's, HH's.) Not sure if it was just an individual personality thing w/ mine or a coopers hawk trait in general, but when hooded and tied to a bowperch my passage coops would bate off the perch and sometimes just hop off and walk around. I would never take a chance with one hooded in the field unrestrained.

[Migisi]

While I know that hooded birds can escape... I got a call about a hooded falcon perched in a tree. The bird turned out to be a pheasant wearing blinders (peepers). I ask callers to send me cell phone pics whenever possible - so I can get an idea what they're really looking at.

[FredFogg]

I cringe too when I see pictures of a hooded hawk perched on a fence post or something for a victory picture untethered. Some hawks will sit like a statue when hooded but why take the chance... it's a bad habit.

After reading this thread and the above comment, it made me realize what a fool I have been taking photo's of Sally (red-tail) hooded and unleashed beside her kills in the woods. Granted, she has been traded off to her daily ration and is pretty satisfied and most likely will not try and fly with her hood on, but it only takes one time. From now on, I will have a long leash hooked to one of her grommets and tethered to my hawking bag when taking photo's. This is exactly one of the reasons that I really like this forum, it gives everyone, apprentices and experienced falconers information that hopefully will make them better falconers. I also noted this on Sally's thread!

[GONEHAWKN]

Fred your not the only one. i am guilty too. i posted that in the thread i started about my bird. i have been at this way too long not to know better. starting today i will utilize my leash at all times.

[everetkhorton]

Off subject a little. How many time have you seen people feed there bird up, take them to there perch and let the bird fly down to the perch before tyeing the bird to the ring. I have seen people not holding on to the jesses but to the leash and let there birds fly several feet to the perch. Once see a Rt. bate off the perch and the owner was tyeing her down and did not have a good hold of the leash and off she went to a low post, could have been a tall tree. My bird only jumps to the perch AFTER it is tied. JMO

[Himiko]

Guys: Thanks for acknowledging these little things. I didn't write my earlier posts to bitch or overly critique anyone but almost everything I write is done so with the new people in mind. We are often very lucky that we get away with some less that ideal habits but I want to present good safe behaviors for a starting place for newbies. We know lots of little tricks to solve problems but over time can develop bad habits if we don't listen to that little voice in our heads.

Everet: I don't let my birds jump to their perches from my glove. I purposely stand with their back to the perch and transfer the bird to the leash then bend down to allow them to step over. I do this to reduce bating for the perch from my glove at any time or bating from my glove at other times. I'm a bit anal about some of my training. Bill

[Zarafia]

Off subject a little. How many time have you seen people feed there bird up, take them to there perch and let the bird fly down to the perch before tyeing the bird to the ring. I have seen people not holding on to the jesses but to the leash and let there birds fly several feet to the perch. Once see a Rt. bate off the perch and the owner was tyeing her down and did not have a good hold of the leash and off she went to a low post, could have been a tall tree. My bird only jumps to the perch AFTER it is tied. JMO

I have made this same rule for my cranky old peales falcon. I hold her jesses short with the tightest grip as I tie her leash off on her block. When the leash is secure I then do a little almost wave with my right hand as I pull it away from the block and this is her cue to hop down to the block.
I do this for my safety and hers. She has real meathooks of feet with the sharpest talons I have seen in a while, and a definite will to use them LOL. Plus this method ensures that she cannot accidentally get loose with gear on before she is secured.
Truthfully though I am a bit more lax and lenient with my HH.

[Zarafia]

Everet: I don't let my birds jump to their perches from my glove. I purposely stand with their back to the perch and transfer the bird to the leash then bend down to allow them to step over. I do this to reduce bating for the perch from my glove at any time or bating from my glove at other times. I'm a bit anal about some of my training. Bill[/QUOTE]

I have found that by holding the jesses very short and as you say, keeping their backs to the perch and then combining the right hand cue when I present the perch to them they learn to be patient. Almost never bateing once the routine is learned.