How Much Is A Falcon?

Generally, the cost of the falcons goes up to $1000. Actually, you will find the rarer falcon species going for more than that. Importantly, you should know that there is more to the initial cost as it is not the only expense. You will need to get a vet who specializes in the care of prey of birds. Also, you will require some outdoor perches (to cost you upwards of $200).

The other things you will need are jesses, creances, hoods, and falconry gloves – all these items are likely to cost you upwards of $1000. Since falcons eat many quails, you will have to supply them – they cost about $2.50 apiece. If the bird gets away from you, you may need telemetry (to cost you about $1500). If you leave the falcon to itself and it doesn’t have hunting or survival skills, it may die. The other costs are medical supplies and the vet exam, which may cost you something like $650. The least amount you need to start keeping even one falcon is nothing below $5000.

This article will give you the info you need, especially about the nuances of falcon costs. Also, the article will open you up to the ins and outs of falconry. Stick around.

The Nitty Gritty Details Of Falcon Costs

The question about how much a falcon cost is only a scratch on the surface. While the price of getting a falcon falls between $200 and $1000, that is only the start. That fee range covers the different falcon species. For example, a European breed will go for about $1000. Some exotic breeds may go up to $100,000, like the subspecies widespread in the Central Valley of California.

A Little About Qatar And Birds

High-class falconers from each corner of the world consider Qatar as a place central to their lifestyle. In Qatar, there is a detailed assessment and appraisal of these birds of prey. In Qatar, you will get falcons going for anything between $27,000 and $100,000. However, it is essential to note that Qatar has been in a diplomatic crisis affecting the falcon franchise and pastime.

How A Falconer Lives

Anyone who owns falcons ought to be a falconer. You cannot act like a pet parent as if the bird is a Chihuahua or a Golden Retriever. If you are a falconry enthusiast in the United States, you should know that the ecological policy prohibits anyone from possessing wild animals that are potentially endangered. And falcons fit in that bracket very well – these are birds that cannot coexist with other people in a house.

If you are thinking of going the way of falconry, your life will need a complete overhaul.  You need to engage in an apprenticeship with a falconer and do your homework on these birds. Since you will be going into an apprenticeship, you should know the costs in and around this falconry business. These are just estimates and vary from state to state:

Cost Related To Falconry	The Numbers
Application fee to falconry	$14
License	$80
Exam fee	$51
The inspection fee for habitation	$13 to $273 depending on the number of enclosures
Raptor capture drawing (special) application	$6

You should know that you are granted permission to go into the wilderness and capture falcons once you get the license. This means that going through the process and paying the costs noted in the table opens you up to hunting. To complete the falconer profile, you will be required to join the NAFA or the North American Falconers Association. If you are a foreigner joining the association, you should be ready to part with $65 years annually. A US Citizen only needs to pay $45 for the same period.

The Costs Of Living With Falcons

If you get the license, you will bypass many of the falcon prices. The expense that you have to deal with is the upkeep expenditure. You need to spend on caring for and raising the birds. Here are some aspects that are part of the falcon living costs:

1. Falcon Feed

During hunting excursions, falcons will eat morsels. If there are indoors and in captivity, they eat quail. You are going to spend around $2.5 a day. You can buy the quail in bulk and get a freezer for about $500 to store the food supply.

2. Falcon Shelter

The estimate given by Falconry Art for an average-size home-made enclosure is between $400 and $600. The Modern Apprentice reports that it may cost you about $10,300 to get a 50 by 34-feet flight cage. Apart from the place of stay, the falcon will need an outdoor perch. For that, you should be ready to spend more than $200. As captured in the table, you need to pay an enclosure inspection fee.

3. Falcon Medical Expenses

You shouldn’t be expecting the average vet to be knowledgeable or even authorized at falcon examination. Get a bird expert and be ready to pay about $150 for every visit. This is the average cost charged by the medical facilities that give diagnoses and treatment of these exotic birds.

4. Supplies And Security

As mentioned in the kicker, you need to have a tracking device implanted under the falcon’s skin. This will ensure smooth tracing whenever they go astray. You should know that falcons that have been brought up among people cannot survive on their own. So, they are likely to starve when they go astray. The device goes around $1500.

Becoming A Falconer

Now that you know about the falcon costs, how about we look at this subject of becoming a falconer? Falconry is a dignified sport that is rewarding to the core. Its history is superbly ancient – it involves using a trained raptor for hunting wild animals. Many people who go into falconry do not do it casually as it needs a significant investment in time. Novices need to do so much work. According to many falconry resources, you need seven years of practice (on top of the apprenticeship) to become a full master. If you think that it is time you went for falconry, this read will give you all the demanding requirements. This will be your quick guide to becoming and getting titled as a fully-fledged falconer. Let’s get to it!

First Part: Ensure That You Are More Than Ready

Get On The Phone And Talk To The Local Or State Wildlife Agency

This should be a very crucial first step before anything else. Like hunting, falconry is guided by the law. These laws can change from one jurisdiction to the other. Before you pursue falconry formally, your local wildlife agency will help you know the laws surrounding the sport. They tell you if it is legal or not. Then, they give you the right requirements to guide you as you practice the sport. The NAFA, or the North American Falconers Association, has compiled a list of wildlife agencies in Canada and the USA. You can find these on their website.

From this point onwards, the given information is merely statistical and does not substitute any law. For expert advice, ensure that you listen to what qualified wildlife experts have to say.

Ensure That You Can Give Falconry All The Time It Needs

Commit that you will dedicate your time to the sport. Going for falconry will mean forfeiting other things. As you decide, here are some of the things that you should have at the back of your mind:

1. The next decade will have you involved in terms of training. As already noted, you need close to nine years before you become a fully-fledged falconer. If you want to meet that goal and accomplish that mission, be ready to be busy.

2. You might miss many holidays since the raptor will need constant care. Hunting days will engage you for about five hours a day. On regular days, you may spend about half an hour caring for the bird. If you feel like a break is needed, it will be upon you to arrange how the falcon will be cared for. This will help the birds to live up to twenty years. However, many falconers advise that returning the raptors is a more natural thing than keeping them in captivity.

Your Temperament Need To Be In Line With The Business In And Around Falconry

This sport is not for any Tom, Dick, and Harry. While experience may be rewarding and enriching, there are some things involved that the general public sees as unpalatable and objectionable. They include the following:

1. The Killing Of Animals – isn’t that what hunting is all about? Falconers will get their birds of prey to prey on some animals. So, it would help if you did a self-assessment where you will be honest with yourself. So, will you be okay witnessing an animal being killed? Are you ready to handle the emotions that come with seeing a prey devoured? Are you willing and prepared to rescue your wounded raptor? If you’re not very about all of that, give yourself some time to collect your thoughts.

2. Seeing Animals In Captivity – can you bear the sight of a bird in an enclosure? Mews are special enclosures where raptors are housed. If the mews are well maintained, the raptors living there will find it comfortable and happy. Some people, however, believe that animals should not be closed in.

3. Caring For The Birds – reasonably speaking, these birds know how to take care of themselves. However, they may make messes occasionally. The mews will accumulate bones and waste, and these will need you to clean.

Ensure That Lot Of Falconry Resources Are At Your Disposal

Becoming a falconer does not have one formula. There are significant differences and variations in the experiences of different sportspersons. The one thing that can be agreed upon is this – by no means is falconry a cheap sport. Throughout the raptor’s life, you should ready to spend several thousand dollars. It would help if you gathered enough financial muscle to take care of the birds. Here are some of the things that you may pay for (some of them have already been mentioned elsewhere):

1. Food and vet costs

2. Travels to hunting locations and meetings

3. Permit or license fees

4. Equipment and shelter for the birds

5. Reference materials and books

You Need To Think About Proper Hunting Land

You will spend more time hunting with the bird than doing anything else. This means that you need the best space. You can’t just use any piece of land. Suburban and urban land will not be suitable for falconry. The area you choose must have the appropriate quantity and game type available so that hunting happens effectively. Here are some more pointers:

1. It would be best if you opened land expanses to do the falcon hunting effectively. Small farms and fields would only suffice if you were dealing with hawks.

2. The falconer and raptor should avoid areas with barbed wire fences, power lines, and roads. These may not make it easy for the hunting business and may also pose a safety and health threat.

3. If you do not have land of your own, you can get farmers to permit you to conduct your hunting business at zero costs. If you get a generous farmer, you should offer them something small or something big to show how appreciative you are.

Immensely Study Falconry As You Would Do With Other Subjects

To get the drive and motivation to the falconry business effectively, you need to take your time in learning the sport. Stir in yourself a falconry passion by listening to falcon sounds, watching falconry videos, reading books about them, and picking what experts have to say about the subject. From the NAFA website, you can get all the recommended reading materials. NAFA also assembles an essay collection titled ‘A Bond with the Wild.’ If you are a beginner in the falconry business, you will like to know what this collection has in store for you. You can also join discussion boards and online forums where falconers congregate. You can ask questions about an area you’re not familiar with.

Second Part: Going For Apprenticeship

Contact The Local Authorities To Know The Specific Permits To Get

In North America, becoming a falconer is not easy stuff. It is not a simple activity of making an appearance in the wild and bringing down an unlucky bird. Before you start the practice, you need to know all the intentional, national (federal), or provincial (state) laws protecting the birds.  When you contact the agency early enough, you will have all the time you need to fulfill the requirements that will be presented to you. Here are some pointers to note:

1. It may take a long time for permits to be approved and processed. This is one thing that will require you to plan. You make the application about a year in advance, before the hunting season, during which you wish to start your journey in falconry.

2. Once you get the permit, you will likely require to have a hunting license. This may need you to enroll and take part in an educational course for hunting.

3. You can pick the info about agencies from the official website of NAFA

Get On The Phone With The Falconry Organization In Your Locality

While you wait for the local authorities to process the paperwork, you need to contact any of the falconry organization nearest to you. The purpose of this engagement is that you enroll in an apprenticeship. While many of the regions, provinces, and states have these organizations or clubs, you won’t find them in other places. You can access the updated list of affiliates here, which is provided by NAFSA. Once you do, you can start getting to the club meetings. It doesn’t matter if you’re certified yet – you can just do it as a way of meeting other falconry enthusiasts. The relationships you create there can mutate and become sponsorship.

Get A Sponsor For Your Falconry Apprenticeship

As a falconer trains, they go through three proficiency levels: apprentice, then general falconer, to being a master falconer. Since you are starting at the very bottom, the requirement is that you need a sponsor not less than two years. Depending on the sponsor you choose, you may need to train with them for quite a while before sponsoring you. Here are some pointers:

1. The most crucial point of networking is your sponsor. You will know him intimately for several years. He or she will help you with guidance and learning and advise you on all matters falconry. Before you choose someone, ensure that you know the background of their falconry. Also, pick a person that you’ll like spending time with. Your appearances in the meetings should open you up to someone.

2. It will be easier to get a top-tier falconer that you connect with personally. Also, you should get someone who believes that you have particular love and competency in the sport. Ensure that you impress him or her before they get you enlisted.

Sit For The Written Exam Before You Apply For The Permit

In many jurisdictions, you might be required to sit and pass an exam. The local agency will administer the test. Once you pass, it will be part of the other requirements needed to process your license to start. Some of the subjects likely to be tested are falconry laws, raptor biology, and birds’ healthcare.

Third Part: Getting A Falcon

Prepare The Mews First

You do not want your bird to stay with you in your room. So, it is expected that you construct housing structures for them. The bird will need a proper facility that will accommodate its flying. With your sponsor and the local regulations at the back of your mind, start constructing the facility. The local wildlife agency will have given you the right dimensions. This is because they will come to inspect before a raptor can stay in it. The wildlife agency needs to inform this decision because there are regional varieties. You wouldn’t want to build your mews in Alabama using dimensions provided for the province of Quebec.

As part of the facility, you should have the right scale and a bath container to meet the birds’ immediate needs and help in health monitoring.

Fashion Your Equipment Or Buy It

As your sponsor will have already told you, you will need specialized equipment to ensure that you do bird management effectively. Depending on the local regulations and laws and bird species, the required equipment may vary.  Your friends at the club can also tell you the specific items you need and where you can get them. I bet that they will recommend making the equipment as this is a cheaper option. If you love falconry to the bone, you will love to have the equipment-making skill. While you got for that option, have it in mind that the inspection of the facilities includes that of the equipment.

So, only make the equipment yourself if you’re experienced in it.

Start By Setting A Trap For The Bird

Your sponsor is likely to tell you to do the bird trapping yourself. In the United States jurisdiction, an apprentice can only catch an American kestrel (of any age) and a red-tailed hawk (an immature passage). Alaskan apprentices are allowed to trap Goshawks.

While authorities will not limit you to the time of the year to catch the bird, the recommendation is that you wait for fall or early winter. This recommendation stands because the young birds will get enough time to be ardent hunters. As an apprentice in the United States, you should know that you cannot purchase falconry birds.

Before you try to trap your first bird, you will want your sponsor and mentor to give you the go-ahead. Also, all your applications need to have been processed, meaning that you need to have the right documentation before attempting.

Submit The Needed Paperwork To The Relevant Authorities And Get Your Bird Tagged

Once you catch your bird, jurisdictions require that you tag it. This will help in tracing the birds when it flies off. Depending on the area you live in, you may need to fill out extra paperwork to register the birds you caught. All the information will get to you from the wildlife agency. After you catch a bird in the United States, the authorities give you about ten days to submit the needed paperwork.