What exactly is falconry? To put it in an eggshell, falconry is when people use raptors to hunt prey, such as small birds and hares. It is believed to have originated in the Middle-East, as far back as 3500 BC. Hunting birds can either be caught and tamed, or they can be bought. Falconry takes years to master, not to mention the hours you have to spend with your bird to form an unbreakable bond. Once a bird has successfully undergone “manning”, it can be used for hunting or it can be flown in competitions.

What makes hunting with a bird so different from that with a horse or a dog? We got together with two of Onderstepoort’s falconry enthusiasts, 3^rd year BVSc student Nabeelah Rajah, and Dr. Dorianne Elliott, to share their experiences of this noble sport.

From a student’s view

In 2012, Nabeelah Rajah moved to Qatar and lived there for a few years. It was during this time that falconry piqued her interest. Everywhere she went, markets sold hunting birds. She was amazed by the strong bond between falconer and falcon. Curiosity got the better of her and by 2018 she had completely immersed herself in the world of falconry. She researched falconers’ stories in the Qatar National Library, and contacted other falconers. One of them was Laura Wrede, a German woman paving the way for women in a male-dominated sport. Laura recommended textbooks and provided information to Nabeelah, since “How to train your falcon” is not part of the “For Dummies” range yet.

A vet’s perspective

Similar to Nabeelah, Dr Elliott, who works at the Exotics & Bird Hospital, was fascinated by the fact that you can form such a strong relationship with an apex-predator. She describes it as a “hunting partnership”, and not slavery or ownership.  Falcons are very proud animals, and unlike hunting dogs, are not seen as servants, but rather as equals. But is this sport humane and fair to the falcons? According to her, some owners look after their falcons “like winning racehorses”. They will go to extremes, such as weighing the bird every day and adjusting their diet accordingly. Unfortunately, like with any sport, there is  potential for abuse. Birds can die, or will abandon uncaring owners. Dr Elliott works closely with the Birds of Prey and Rehabilitation Centre, and thus has a lot of hands-on experience. She also has friends in the South African Falconry Association (SAFA), who taught her the art of falconry.

Eventually , Nabeelah got in contact with Dr Elliott. She shared Nabeelah’s enthusiasm about falconry and  they sifted through any information they could find. Despite their enthusiasm and eagerness to learn, these two have many obstacles to overcome, since falconry has always been considered a male sport, carried down from generation to generation, from father to son. Did they let this clip their wings? Certainly not! While neither of them own falcons, they still try to get as much exposure as possible. To be classified as “official” falconer, you must first become an apprentice and work your way up. A falconer is assigned to a mentor, who must  teach them the craft of falconry. Needless to say, if you are not assigned a mentor, you can’t begin your apprenticeship. Luckily for them (and all other future female falconers), there is a wonderful group called the Women’s Working Group (WWG), who work with the International Association for Falconry (IAF). They aim to assist and educate woman falconers around the globe. The WWG-IAF is not only focused on the modern female falconer, but also focuses on how women have contributed to falconry throughout history.