Falconry - pest control

[Simon.Hyett]

Hi All.

I’ve recently moved back to the New Forest area and I am looking for some land to exercise my birds of prey.
In return for this I can offer some free pest control as they are exceptionally good at deterring / catching pest species.

I am happy to travel a reasonable distance for this and am regularly in the Portsmouth / Havant area.

Does this sound like something that would interest any of you?

Thanks,

Simon

 

[Doing it for the kids]

Sadly I’m too far away
out of curiosity, what’s the law if one of your BOP Takes out say a red kite (or 100) or another protected species?

as you can’t fully control your birds, what might happen!?

 

[Simon.Hyett]

That’s a good question.
This was answered on a previous thread a while ago:

“
I can only comment on the Anglo-Welsh jurisdiction, not for up your way; but, here, it will depend upon whether it's an offence (if it is one) of specific or basic intent i.e. if specific, the falconer would have to have intended the killing of the prohibited species; whereas if basic, regardless of whether it was intentional orreckless, the offence is still committed if the prohibited species ends up dead.

As the law currently stands here, it would be an offence to train any animal or bird to take or kill badgers. However, if the killing of protected species by a bird of prey were to fall under specific intent rules... having a bird capable of killing a badger and then it actually doing so wouldn't see the falconer committing an offence unless it could be proven that he'd intended it to do so, rather than for it to kill e.g. a fox or a hare.”

It’s not a situation I have come across as my birds have only taken their intended prey, as I understand it though it would have to be proven that the birds were intentionally flown at the protected species.

Either way, my birds are largely flown from the fist (depending on the land) and therefore only released when directed at specific prey.

 

[Doing it for the kids]

Thanks, interesting.

was watching a display in S Wales a few years back and they said they have to be careful letting out one of theirs as they take out kites.

i thought it was ballesy given kites out number most other birds in that area!

 

[Simon.Hyett]

Some of the falcons might have a go at a kite if it got too close, but kites are very big birds and wouldn’t be a typical prey item.

I’ve had interactions with wild buzzards in the past when flying red tailed hawks, largely just calling out to each other.

 

[Dry Rot]

So you are flying red tailed hawks? Any other species? Can you cite a few examples of what control could be achieved, i.e. your birds and the pest species deterred?

Breed a badger killing eagle and you could be on to a winner! To quote my solicitor (on another subject), "Intentions can change!"

 

[Simon.Hyett]

Not flying red tails at the moment.

At the moment I’m flying a pair of Goshawks, later in the year will be flying a pair of Harris hawks and a Peregrine x Lanner falcon as well.

Mainly targeting rabbits at the moment but great deterrents for pigeons and corvids.

Sadly no badger hunting eagle at the moment!

 

[Alias]

I've seen a man at Dunbia using a Harris Hawk to scare away seagulls. He had a full time job going around various businesses, using a mixture of methods to keep birds away.