Falconry - aspects of care of the trained falcon and hawk - Michael Davie

Falconry - aspects of care of the trained falcon and hawk is a distillation of fifty years of falconry experience by leading falconer Michael Davie. This generously illustrated book concentrates on the daily care needed to maintain the trained hawk and falcon in good health, and includes planning for the new arrival by having suitable accommodation ready for the bird. The book provides a comprehensive construction guide to building the 'weathering loft' - a dual-purpose structure giving the falconer options of management. The book describes the training diary of a falcon covering its first-year journey including getting it through the winter, avoiding wind tip oedema and on to the moult the following spring. There is guidance about the general maintenance of the raptor including foot, beak and feather care, and notes on the development of the falcon and the hawk beyond the point of flying free. For falcon flying there is a guide to making a lure and learning to swing it. The book presents an insight into the conditioning and use of the weighing scales and record keeping to guide the falconer in the management of the trained bird. The are invaluable sections on food preparation, use of the hood and looking for a lost bird.