Added: 3 years ago
From: earns22
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  • don't worry, the mesh is good. Bars are always the best but as you said - the rodents... As long as he doesn't bate towards the mesh or doesn't hang on it by feet it's fine. I'd rather risk a bit of feather damage like broken tips than a dead bird.

  • i was walking and a big old harris hawk flew above me a circle me a few times landed looked at me i whisled to see if it was a traind hawk but he just flew away

  • or me, I had only had him for an hour

  • he dosent like the camera

  • sounds like a possessed sheep! :P BAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

  • hey mate, i would change the mesh you have got there at the back, as it could cause harm to its feet also could result in feather damage.

  • Sound advice but the Harris was only in that aviary for a short while, Its my American Kestrels breeding aviary, and the last thing I want is rodents getting in that have been half poisoned by the farmer.

  • my god what a horrible sound :O

    i couldn't imagine listening to that day after day....

  • Its a good job your not one of the 25000 people that keep birds of prey in the UK then, now you know what women put us men through when you let babies make that horrible crying sound.

  • no, don't get me wrong, I'm still determined to get into falconry, a little noise wont stop me (like marriage)

    but I certainly wont enjoy it, and I imagine I'll be living off Advil for a while.

    Is she that vocal at night? I know a lot of non-predatory birds that just go on day and night.

    I've had other birds and I can deal with a day-screamer.. but at night, oh god I'd die. (a friend has one like that)

    I'm a guy by the way, and I know exactly what you mean by that.. that.. noise. *shivers*.

  • They are totally quiet on a night, hand reared Harris Hawks make noise during the day, parent reared are quiet as a rule, mine only make noise when they see me coming with food. Sorry I thought you were another woman/anti having a go at me again, I do get a few that I delete trying to cause trouble. I will try to answer as many questions I can. Dave

  • haha nono I meant that in a more 'i respect your patience' kind of way.

    Interesting topic you bring up though.. what do for rearing.. parent or hand?

    I've had a lot of pets over time which I've trained very well, but I'm looking to get a Harris' as my first raptor.

    I realize they're not 'pets', its obviously not a parrot, but would you think they're.. 'loyal'?

    I hear about people 'losing' birds in the field and I do *not* want that. I'm hoping the social nature of a Harris' would help there.

  • I would say the Harris is the only loyal bop, with others its respect between the falconer and the bird, most get lost when they get mobbed by crows, things like that. If my pair breed then I will be hand rearing one for myself, hand reared are pets, they are a completely different bird to parent reared one. A falconer keen on hunting would not touch a hand reared bird. And then there is the total imprint, hand reared before eyes open, or crèche reared.

  • crèche reared know they are a bird, my Euro Eagle Owl is a total imprint she doesnt know she is an Owl, like an hand reared parrot. She will never breed. My hand reared Barn Owl was crèche reared at first then I hand reared him on his own; he has fathered a dozen young. I dont mean to sound patronizing but other people will be reading this, with less knowledge of birds, so I am trying to keep it simple.

  • No no I understand, a lot of people get birds without being properly informed ahead of time so its good you're willing to elaborate.

    If you parent-rear a bird, how many weeks/months should that last? I mean, I don't want a bird that's just a pet and cant hunt.. but i like the idea of a very well-mannered and manned bird.

    Will consistent training with the lure not be enough? I mean these are wild animals, they should follow their predatory instincts I would think.

  • Basically you lower the birds weight by a third, whether hand reared or parent reared, it will then instinctively kill cats small dogs rabbits Barn Owls are a favourite prey of Harris Hawks, My female nearly took the wife's dog. I personally dont hunt, my mentor is a falconer at a bop centre, public are horrified when the Harris takes a rabbit on the woodland walks (wonder why the visit in the first place)

  • haha I see your point.

    well that would be good for me then. I'm looking for an 'outdoor companion', a bird I can go out in the woods with as a sort of companion, and occasionally hunt with.

    I'm certainly not as focused as some of the falconers out there who use the bird a nothing more than a tool (which really is the idea behind 'true' falconry).

    but I'd prefer a bird that *can* hunt, even though its not its only purpose.

    I think I'll be looking for eggs then. thanks!

  • Breeders will sell you a young chick, bop are easier to hand rear than parrots

  • no kidding.. i really thought it'd be the other way around.

    Any age of chick you recommend? something between 'needs extreme care' and 'too late to really be reared entirely by the owner'

    Where are you located if you don't mind my asking? a lot of the dealers I find online are in the u.k. and southern u.s., meanwhile I'm up in Canada. I'd be more than willing to drive down to one of the northeastern states if I found an honest breeder with fair pricing.

  • I'm in the UK as well, if you got one in the summer at 2 weeks old it wouldnt need extra heat, I was referring to UK breeders, sorry I didnt realize you were in Canada, most breeders I would think will help all they can.

  • Hmm okay.. I'll have to just keep looking around and asking the local guys about where they got theirs, unfortunately most people around here fly red-tails and the breeders breed them almost exclusively.

  • I can see your problem, I wouldnt think red-tail breeders would breed HH as well, I brought a red-tail home and my HH screamed at it all day, the red-tail was sold the next week.

  • hmm strange, i figured an harris' would be more social/friendly by nature.

    Is this your only bird at this time?

  • Fear, HH disappeared for 4 days, they do sulk, then came back on his own accord, its taken weeks on end to regain his confidence. have a look at some of my other birds/videos.

  • I checked out a number of them after my post. you got some really great species..

    realistically i could look after that many individuals at once, but i think its great that you get to see those guys everyday, must be a real treat coming home after a long day at the job or something.

    I haven't had a bird in a while, and I got a cat.. but sweet as she is.. shes a little less-than-enthusiastic. I know the feeling of having one of these guys make a lot of ruckus when you show up, and its great.

  • nice harris ,i have a male and female, both scream but i dont mind, nice easy birds to train. also keep barn owls and kestrels

  • virtually all my spare time is dedicated to the birds, just as well my wife likes birds. we live in the countryside where the neighbours don't mind the Owls

  • i think its very important to have a hobby to keep us busy, like you all my spare time is taken up with my birds i even had to fit outside lights so i would have enough time in the winter to get all my jobs done. good luck with your birds.

  • i would like one iive done research is it hard to look after them

  • Really Nice Bird. I have a Harris Hawk. hes Called Strike. Don't Know Why to be Honest!!!!

    Real Nice Birds Harris Hawks

  • nice bird, just got a young male harris, and i'd rather listen to the sound of a harris than cars goin past and gunshots and screams, just sounds like a creaky door haha

  • have you been training birds all your life ?

  • I have kept birds all my life, I'm 50 now, but only kept birds of prey on and off untill a couple of years ago, we now have 12 including the disabled ones we care for.

  • nice screamer m8 i bet ppl on yr estate love hearing that all day.

  • I live in the country mate, and own my own house, so don't have a problem, that's why I can keep all the owls I keep. He only screamed until he got to know me then stopped.

  • he makes those sounds cause he is scared of the cam?

  • That is the sound Harris Hawks make, some are vocal like that all day long, that's one reason why there are so many for sale.

  • He is 4 years old

  • Thats a great lookin harris

    He is quite a large male

    and loverly plumage

    how old is he?

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