Mortality and Fate of Trained Birds of Prey

Abstract

From 113 questionnaire returns, the 1st year mortality in captivity of birds of prey taken from the nest and kept by falconers was estimated at 22 percent for 39 peregrines (Falco peregrinus), 11 percent for 89 kestrels (Falco tinnunculus), 26 percent for 71 goshawks (Accipiter gentilis), and 53 percent for 36 sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus). The mortality of 14 trapped immature kestrels and 38 trapped immature goshawks did not differ significantly from this. Between 80 percent and 93 percent of trained falcons and between 50 percent and 67 percent of trained hawks were later lost or released. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 38(4):751-756 At present almost all the birds of prey trained by falconers are obtained from the wild, though the supply from captive breed- ing projects may become an important source in the future. In recent years a dis- pute has arisen concerning the effect of taking such birds from the wild. On the one hand it has been claimed that birds taken for falconry have a restricted life span, and that taking them is detrimental to wild bird of prey populations (Kbnig and Schilling 1970). On the other hand it has been suggested that they may survive better than in the wild and eventually, through escape (Brown and Amadon 1968) or deliberate release (Cade 1954), augment the wild breeding stock. This paper sets out to estimate mor- talities for four species of birds of prey commonly flown by falconers in Europe and to provide information relevant to the planning of captive management programs for preserving threatened birds of prey.