Beginning Falconry

Due to Falconry involving the care and attention of an animal, it is important that you have basic understanding of what is involved and that you have the commitment and enthusiasm in order to ensure that the bird of prey is looked after and handled with absolute care and respect.

In order to help you we have, together with the Hawk Board and with the help of professional Falconers throughout the UK, developed an award in Beginning Falconry.

Our award in Falconry will provide you with the relevant background knowledge and practical skills necessary to keep a bird of prey in a safe and healthy condition, and allow you to demonstrate all aspects of bird of prey management and husbandry, up to flying to the fist on a line or creance.

Who is it for?

Our Falconry course is for you whether you are new to falconry or if you are experienced and would like to receive accreditation. We have divided our award into two mandatory units and one optional unit. These consist of:

• Unit 1 - Bird of prey management and husbandry (Mandatory)
  • Part 1. Housing
  • Part 2. Hygiene
  • Part 3. Food and food preparation
  • Part 4. Health   
  • Part 5. Species suitability
  • Part 6. Purchasing your first bird
     
• Unit 2 - Basic falconry techniques (Mandatory)
  • Part 7. Essential falconry equipment
  • Part 8. Picking up and carrying
  • Part 9. Feeding, manning and initial training techniques
  • Part 10. Weighing and weight management


• Unit 3 - Conditioning and flying free a bird of prey (Optional)
  • Part 12. Flying Free
  • Part 13. Getting fit
  • Part 14. Preparing a bird of prey for hawking
  • Part 15. Entering to artificial prey
  • Part 16. Advanced Radio Tracking

This Award has been designed to assess your competence with regards to keeping a bird of prey in a safe and healthy condition, and you must be able to demonstrate that you have the necessary background knowledge as well as the practical skills that this involves.

In order to do this you must register with a Lantra Awards Administration Point (AP) who will allocate an Assessor to you, they will be a Falconer who is experienced. Your assessment will involve you putting together evidence within your supplied workbook and collecting (with the support of your assessor) samples of your competence relating to the units listed above. These can be written, photographic, video clips, diagrams or verbal descriptions. Your Assessor will recommend you for the Award when they are happy that you have fulfilled the requirements and passed all assessments, you will then receive your certificate in 'Beginning Falconry’ from Lantra Awards.

What will you get from it?

You will receive a nationally recognised certificate, detailing each unit passed. This shows that you hold the skills necessary to keep a bird of prey in a safe, healthy condition and puts you in a well trained position for the future.

If you value looking after birds of prey well, then you and others associated with this profession will value the certificate.