Boland Falconry Club

The breeding stock necessary for the survival of any raptor species is the wild population, so the capture of passage hawks and the taking of eyases, must be strictly controlled to ensure that the wild population remains in a healthy and viable state. Most clubs negotiate an annual quota of birds which may be harvested from the wild and made available to club members, with their respective provincial conservation departments. (To date no club has taken up their full negotiated annual quota.)

It is a known fact that birds of prey throughout the world have a very high natural mortality rate, especially in their first year of life. There are various scientific papers that have been written on this subject and it is not our intention in this code of conduct to cover all the existing scientific data, we will leave it as just that – a scientific fact. (Peregrine Falcon Populations: Their Management and Recovery – Tom Cade, James Enderson, Carl Thelander and Clayton White; Understanding the Bird of Prey – Dr. Nick Fox)

The figures quoted vary quite substantially between species, ranging from 60% to 85% dying before they are a year old. It can be said with certainty that in most species over half the young fledged will die during the first year of life (Birds of Prey – An Illustrated Encyclopaedic Survey by International Experts 1990).

From a falconers perspective the harvesting of certain species from the wild is seen as borrowing from the wild as many birds are released after serving as Falconer’s birds.  Such a harvest may be seen as “saving” youngsters from a near certain death, as well as increasing the survival rate of the remaining immature birds by reducing the competition and stress placed on them by the environment.

4. Wild Take

1. The wild harvest of falconry birds is very small and entirely sustainable.
2. The wild sourcing of falconry birds limits the use of exotic raptors.
3. The wild sourcing of falconry birds keeps falconry within the reach of the less-affluent members of our society and mitigates against the trade in falconry birds.
4. The wild sourcing of falconry birds limits the number of birds confined to breeding pens for life.
5. The wild sourcing of falconry birds encourages the involvement of falconers in the conservation of wildlife and specifically raptors. The banning of this source of falconry birds will negate this involvement, as seen elsewhere in the world where this situation pertains, as falconers will not be able to afford to run the risk of accusations of illegal trapping and laundering of wild birds.
6. The wild sourcing of falconry birds is acceptable internationally and is permitted in diverse nations including the USA, Ireland, Germany, Mexico and Zimbabwe, to name a few.

It must be reiterate that many wild-taken birds are released back to the wild in good condition after their use