Saudi Gazette report

 

FALCONRY is a popular sport in the Gulf states, especially in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. It is an integral part of the Gulf region’s rich heritage.



The United Nations has proclaimed falconry a World Heritage Sport. Falconry has been part of traditional life in the Arabian Peninsula for centuries.



Bedouins have practiced it to hunt hare and houbara, a quail-like bird that is among the falcon’s main prey in the wild. Later, falconry turned into a more casual sport and hobby.



In the past, it was known as the “sport of kings,” according to a report in Al-Riyadh daily.



Here in the Kingdom, many falconry enthusiasts usually head to desert places during weekends to witness the bird’s hunt for prey, a chase that can last for days.



For some Bedouins it remains a primary method of hunting rabbits and other desert animals. The falconry season starts in November in most Gulf states when the weather cools.



In the Kingdom, falcon-hunting season is from October to March. Each bird has a microchip inserted beneath its skin and a numbered ring fitted on its leg for identification.



Abdul Kareem Al-Dahyan, a falconer, said there are different kinds of falcons, each with unique characteristics.



There are also differences in how well they coexist with human beings. They include pure breed falcons, saker falcon, peregrine, and gyrfalcons.



Most falconers prefer pure breeds as they are the ideal for falconry. Saker falcon is a big, strong bird of prey with large feet and pointed wings.



It is larger than the peregrine falcon and has a very wide wingspan for its size. It has a large range of colors from dark brown, to grey, to almost white.



It is also thought to breed with gyrfalcons and form a hybrid falcon. They have large eyes and a short hooked beak. They dive for their prey at 200 miles an hour.



They are ferocious hunters and often attack prey bigger than themselves. There are several subspecies of saker falcon such as the steppe saker, mountain saker and Altai saker, which is said to be the favorite bird of Arab falconers.



Al-Dahyan said peregrine falcons are the strongest and most courageous among the falcons. They look similar to hawks except for minor differences.



They are raptors (birds of prey), which hunt by mostly chasing their prey in the air. The peregrines chase and swoop down at their prey at over 200 miles an hour.



They squash their prey with their massive talons or stun it by colliding with their targets in midair.



He said peregrines come in many colors including black, red, blue and brown. Marine peregrine is considered the best and the most beautiful and hence most favored by falconers.



According to Al-Dahyan, the gyrfalcon is highly regarded in the sport of falconry. The color of the birds can vary from almost pure white to dark gray with white streaks.



When searching for prey, they will normally either circle the ground scanning for movement or watch while perched from a convenient lookout spot.



They generally attack by flying low to the ground and chasing their prey, eventually overtaking them and diving in for the kill.



Sometimes, while hunting other birds, they catch them mid-flight.



Sultan Al-Qahtani, a falconer, said falcons suffer from some diseases. This includes a lack of vision at night due to cold brain, which could be treated by cutting meat out altogether from their diet and restricting them to grains, plus sprinkling rose water in their eyes.



Other common diseases are small pox, avian influenza, avipox virus and avian tuberculosis.