Common Questions About Falconry

What is falconry?

Falconry is the hunting of wild quarry with a trained bird of prey. It is not simply keeping a hawk or falcon as a pet. The relationship between falconer and bird centers on training, husbandry and hunting together in the field.

What does it take to become a falconer?

Commitment comes first. A falconer needs time for daily care and training, appropriate housing and equipment, access to suitable hunting land and quarry, financial resources for food and veterinary care, and a willingness to spend substantial time in the field. Family or household support and a plan for the bird's care if you are ill or injured are also worth considering.

Do I need to hunt?

Yes. Falconry is a hunting activity. If your primary interest is simply owning or being close to a bird of prey, falconry is probably not the appropriate path. Prospective falconers should have access to safe hunting areas with suitable game.

Do I need a sponsor?

Yes. An apprentice falconer works with an eligible experienced falconer who serves as sponsor and mentor. The sponsor helps the apprentice learn raptor care, equipment, training, field techniques and responsible falconry. The IFA can help you meet Iowa falconers, but sponsorship is a personal mentoring relationship and is not automatic.

How long is the apprenticeship?

Iowa's current regulations establish the experience required before an apprentice can advance. Treat the apprenticeship as hands-on education rather than simply a waiting period: the goal is to gain actual experience caring for, training and hunting with a raptor under your sponsor's guidance.

What birds are used in falconry?

Falconers may work with several types of hawks and falcons depending on permit class, experience, regulations, available quarry and preferred hunting style. Peregrine falcons, red-tailed hawks, goshawks, Harris's hawks, kestrels and other species have all been used in North American falconry. An apprentice's choices are more restricted, so always check current Iowa regulations before making plans for a bird.

What facilities and equipment are required?

A falconry raptor requires appropriate housing, commonly called a mews, along with required equipment and safe areas for weathering and care. Facilities must meet current regulatory standards and be inspected as required. Review the current rules before building so you do not have to redo the facility later.

How difficult is the falconry exam?

The examination covers practical knowledge needed to care for and manage a raptor, including husbandry, health, equipment, identification and regulations. Study seriously rather than treating it as a formality. A sponsor, experienced falconers and good introductory books can make the material much easier to understand.

How do I find a sponsor?

Start by meeting falconers rather than asking a stranger to sign a sponsorship letter. Contact the IFA, attend opportunities to meet members when available, ask questions and spend time learning what the sport actually involves. This gives both you and a potential sponsor a chance to decide whether the relationship is a good fit.

Does falconry harm wild raptor populations?

Falconry take from the wild is closely regulated and has been studied by wildlife agencies for decades. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service environmental reviews have concluded that the level of raptor take associated with falconry has had very minor or negligible effects on wild raptor populations. Falconers have also played an important role in raptor conservation, perhaps most famously in the captive-breeding and restoration work that helped the peregrine falcon recover in North America. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service specifically recognized falconers among those who contributed to the peregrine's recovery.

A traditional example of the relationship between a falconer and a wild raptor is the passage red-tailed hawk — a young bird in its first migration. The first fall and winter are demanding periods for a young hawk. It must become an efficient hunter while coping with cold weather, changing prey availability, injury, disease and other hazards. Juvenile mortality in wild raptors can be substantial, which is one reason experienced falconers have long viewed the temporary training of a passage hawk differently from simply removing a bird from the wild population.

A passage red-tail taken for falconry can spend that difficult period receiving regular food, protection and veterinary care when needed while continuing to develop its hunting skills in the field. Many falconers later release such birds back to the wild in good condition. Others may retain a bird longer when permitted and appropriate. Either way, the falconer's responsibility is to maintain the bird as a capable hunting raptor, not to turn it into a pet.

The Iowa Falconers Association advocates that apprentices begin with a first-year, or “passage,” red-tailed hawk. This has been the traditional practice of Iowa falconers for decades. Passage birds are young-of-the-year hawks on their first migration and are taken during the legal passage-bird season. Current Iowa rules restrict apprentices to red-tailed hawks and prohibit apprentices from taking nestling or fledgling birds. Beginning with a passage red-tail also reflects the IFA's long-standing view that an apprentice should learn with a young wild hawk rather than remove an established adult breeding-age bird from the population.

A typical Iowa apprenticeship has therefore traditionally involved trapping a passage red-tail during the fall migration, training and hunting the bird through the season, and, in many cases, releasing it back to the wild when conditions are favorable. During that time the hawk receives regular food and care while continuing to develop the hunting skills it needs to survive independently. This passage-hawk tradition is an important part of how the IFA views responsible falconry and conservation.

Falconry regulations can change, so prospective falconers should always consult the current Iowa falconry regulations and the Iowa DNR. For the IFA's own conservation work and Iowa's peregrine restoration history, see Raptor Conservation.

Where should a beginner start reading?

Two books from the IFA's original recommended reading list are particularly useful introductions:

Where can I find the current Iowa requirements?

Regulations can change, so use the current Iowa rules rather than relying on older articles or advice. The current Iowa falconry regulations are published in Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 101. The Getting Started page also summarizes the process and provides Iowa DNR contact information.

This FAQ is introductory information, not a substitute for current state or federal regulations. Confirm current requirements with the Iowa DNR.