The hisTory of falconry

The ancient art of taking wild quarry with a trained bird of prey dates backs to pre-Christian times. It is a matter of debate whether it originated on the steppes of Central Asia, in Mesopotamia or in China. By the 4th century AD falconry had spread into Europe, with late Roman period murals depicting its practice. In late medieval times falconry became the ‘sport of kings’, popular among the nobility of Europe as both recreation and a status symbol. Interest in falconry reached its height in the 16th and 17th centuries. It faded rapidly with the advent of gunpowder and the shotgun, and the decline of the aristocracy. There was a resurgence of interest in the late 19th and early 20th century, thanks to the publication of a number of falconry books. The British Falconers Club, founded in 1927, helped keep interest alive in Britain. It underwent a major revival with the advent of captive breeding in the 1970s. This was helped by the development of radio transmitters and the introduction of easy-to-fly Harris hawks. In 2010 UNESCO declared falconry a part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of 13 countries.

› When hunting, the Harris hawk is dashing and powerful, pursuing prey in agile flight. As it flies, the leather jesses trail out behind, while the falconry bells can be seen below it.