Things You'll Need
Cage
Identity Tag
Strip of leather (a jesse)
Gauntlets
Meat
Warnings
Keep children away from the bird until it is fully tamed. Do not ever release a tamed bird of prey into the wild. Check U.S. and state laws regulating falconry before acquiring a bird of prey as a pet. It is illegal to possess a bird of prey without a falconry license in the U.S.
If you purchase an adult eagle, owl, or bird of prey, it will take time and patience to tame it since it will have initial aggression issues. Birds of prey require lots of attention and understanding in order to gain their trust. Once you have spent a sufficient amount of time training your bird, you will have a devoted and loyal companion for life that your friends and family will admire.
Keep the bird in a cage in the living room to get the bird accustomed to human activity.
Attach a strip of leather, known as a jesse, to one of the bird's legs along with an identity tag. This will remain on the bird's leg until the jesse needs to be replaced. You may want to have a professional help you with this step.
Train the bird for at least 30 minutes every day by attaching the other end of the jesse to your gauntlet (falconry glove) so that it cannot fly away. Reward the bird with a small piece of meat when it sits calmly on your arm. Talk to the bird in a low and soothing voice while it is on your gauntlet.
Continue this process every day for two weeks, then touch the bird behind its head to get it used to petting. Reward the bird with a small piece of meat every time it allows you to pet it.
Take the bird outside after it becomes fully comfortable with you petting it. After taking the bird outside every day for two weeks, you will be able to release the jesse from the gauntlet and it will fly back to you.
References
- "Falconry & Hawking"; Phillip Glasier; 2006
- Owl pages: FAQ
- Animal Legal & Historical Center: Animal Law Info:
Resources
Warnings
- Keep children away from the bird until it is fully tamed.
- Do not ever release a tamed bird of prey into the wild.
- Check U.S. and state laws regulating falconry before acquiring a bird of prey as a pet.
- It is illegal to possess a bird of prey without a falconry license in the U.S.
Photo Credits
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Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
Writer Bio
Eric Jeffs began writing in 2009 and has been published in "Sad Mag," "Granville Magazine" and "Vancouver is Awesome." He has a Bachelor of Arts in classical studies and a Master of Library and Information Studies from the University of British Columbia.
