info for hawk/falcon eggs

[barnwife]

Originally I posted about wanting to buy falcon eggs...I have done a bit of research and have found out a lot more info about the local falconing laws and have found a group here in Texas to gather reliable info from. Thank-you for your concerns and have a great weekend!

 

[Calebs Acre]

A word of caution, many states have serious fines for selling, buying, possessing Birds of Prey without an appropriate license, which is usually not given out without meeting stringent requirements.

I know New York and Massachusetts have VERY strict laws and if you are in Texas, I believe that you have to meet certain criteria in order to possess these birds, if you don't already.

If you've already obtained the proper documentation, please excuse my butting in, but if not, you'll want to check it out. I know There are some pretty high annual license fees to pay to have many of these birds. It seems to be a state regulated issue.

 

[redhen]

wow! i never knew we could have them?? i thought we couldnt even touch a feather on their precious heads? so..can we own them?

 

[Calebs Acre]

The answer really is no. But, there are certain instances, like wildlife rehabilitators and probably certain qualified conservation groups, etc. who are permitted to have contact with them. I read the Massachusetts statute and it is written to say that you must have permission from an agency and have proper authorization. That means more than just going out and getting them.

I "donated" a year working as a shelter manager in NY City and we were constantly getting illegal animals (NYC has VERY strict laws about the animals permitted as pets....you cannot have very many different species)...so I was always taking things to NJ or Long Island or CT to get it out of the 5 boroughs. I worked with lots of wildlife rehabbers and it is not a simple thing here. You have to take classes and meet a ton of other requirements just to do squirrels and raccoons. The main birds of prey person was overwhelmed with the number of animals he was asked to help.

I didn't mean to give anyone ideas. These birds really belong left in the wild. They are NOT pets!!

 

[JJMR794]

YOU MUST HAVE A FEDERAL MASTER FALCONER PERMIT TO POSESS ANY BIRD OF PREY--- GO TO US FISH AND WILDLIFE AND FIND INFO TO GET STARTED ON YOUR PERMIT! GOOD LUCK!

 

[barnwife]

I am sorry if I offended anyone, I know a couple of folks here who have found downed hawks fallen from a nest and trained them.

This was more of a seing what's out there than anything else.

Thank-you for all of the information!

 

[Calebs Acre]

If I came off mean or offended in my posts, please forgive me. I didn't mean to sound that way. Just wanted to make sure no one got in trouble. The birds are gorgeous!

Even if they are injured, only licensed rehabilitators, or vets, are supposed to possess them. Lots of people don't know the laws. I don't blame nor am I criticizing you. Sorry if my writing did not reflect my intended tone!!!!

I agree with JJMR, good luck if you decide to go for your permit!!

 

[barnwife]

Nona taken, really! This is a very serious issue, obviously! It just makes me kinda wonder, you know? I see TONS of birds of prey in my area...and I am only on the edges of some serious ranch land ...in other words wal-mart/town are less than an hour away lol. There are TONS of these things flying around...so much so that free-ranging is one of the worst ideas possible. If it's fenced in or has a guard dog assigned to them, they have half a chance, but that is still not a guarantee out here.

I suppose it's to protect the beautiful birds and keep people from selling them as pets. They are very delicate and most species have been endangered due to overhunting in our lifetimes..as well as pesticide poisoning.

Again, thank-you for the info!

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

I know most states have laws regarding the types of birds beginning falconers can possess. Providing you are able to get your license, I think the birds you can possess (I know at least in the northeast) include the red tail hawk, american kestral, and great horned owl. As you move up the levels of falconry, the choice of birds you can use gets larger and larger.

I know in my state (NJ) you have to become an apprentice, then you have to pass a test and have your place inspected before you can trap a bird. However, when I was looking into the sport most people were very helpful. I decided not to get into the sport because I just wouldn't have had the time to train or build an appropriate housing facility.

Good luck with the sport! Just make sure you check into all the laws regarding the ownership of raptors as it is a federal offense to possess a raptor without the necessary permits. I would suggest finding out about local falconry meets in your area and attended a few before making any final decisions because it can be pricey to get started in the sport. Of course, just like any other animal related sport, it can be dangerous. That's another reason i suggest really getting to know the sport before getting involved because that will definitely reduce the possibility of injury!

 

[Emzyyy]

I want to be a enviromentalist when I grow up I think it would very fun to rehabilitate wild animals too. I know this woman who takes injured animals and she had 3 baby ratcoons in her house in a huge cage the mother had gotten killed, they were so funny they knocked over a bookshelf in her house.