| Falconry$19.70 Item # newitem215747952 Product Description Humans have been drawn to the elegant and swift hunting instincts of hawks and falcons for thousands of years. It comes as no surprise that, at some point thousands of years ago, humans using them for hunting purposes. Traditionally, people who are involved in falconry fall into two categories. People who use falcons are falconers, and people who use hawks or eagles are austringers. However, the modern term “falconry” is now applied to the sport in general, regardless of the species of raptor used, while the act of flying a trained bird is known as “hawking” or “game hawking.”
The art of falconry was traditionally a pastime of the nobility because of the large amount of money, time, and space the sport required. For the early Chinese ruling class, falconry had an inseparable relationship with politics and power. The practice was so technically advanced that the methods and equipment used today are virtually identical to those used in China 3,000 years ago. Falconry was practiced 3,000 years ago by the Mongolians, and achieved a high level of refinement with the Khan rulers. By the 1300s, the Mongolian empire employed ten thousand falconers and associated workers.
Many historians argue that falconry originated in Persia, or present-day Iran. Scholars believe that the earliest record of using hunting falcons in the region was made between 8,000 and 10,000 years ago. The first comprehensive guide to the art was commissioned by a Persian king in the 12th century, and was so popular that the book was later translated into French, English, and German. In India and Pakistan, falconry was a life-sustaining practice for those living in desert regions, and was considered a status symbol for people living in more fertile areas.
In Europe, falconry gained popularity in the 17th century after European nobility learned of the sport from writers and explorers who documented falconry in Asia and India. Like in other countries, the sport began to decline in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries as firearms replaced the falcons as the tool of choice for hunting. A brief revival of the sport in the early 20th century led to its introduction to North America.
Modern falconry is practiced around the world by people who endeavor to keep this unique sport alive. Falconers classify their birds into three categories: longwings, such as the Peregrine Falcon and Gyrfalcon, shortwings, such as goshawks, and broadwings, such as Golden Eagles and Harris hawks. Most often, the traditional choice of bird is the Peregrine Falcon and the Northern Goshawk, although in North America the Red-tailed Hawk and Harris Hawk are more often used.
Today, modern falconers are employed to prevent gulls from congregating at landfills. At the Redwood Landfill in Marin County, California, a falconer flies his Saker falcon to ensure that the gulls cannot rest, reducing the attractiveness of the landfill as a permanent retreat. After the bird scatters the gulls, she will return to her handler for a reward, a piece of quail meat. For the falcon and her handler, this full-time job is allowing them to preserve an important piece of history.
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People Who Bought this Product Also Bought  Juncos are one of those small, winter birds that people throughout the United States love. These birds winter in the United States and during the spring and summer spend their time in the northern portion of the country and Canada. Did you know that you can attract juncos to your backyard by using a garden birdbath? These social little birds are happy to splash around and have fun with you watching from afar.
The Junco
If you hope to attract the junco, offer the right type of bird food, provide a bird bath or alternate water source, and make sure the bird has access to nesting materials in the area. Here are some general tips to get you started:
* The junco is a ground feeder. Platform bird feeders placed on the ground will go a long way in enticing the junco to visit your backyard.
* Make sure to provide them with the right type of bird food. The junco tends to prefer sunflower hearts, cracked corn and millet. Millet seed is the best choice if your primary goal is to attract juncos. Make sure to keep the seed fresh and the supply plentiful.
* The junco will predominantly consume seed but during breeding season you will find them consuming insects. This makes suet a good option as long as you keep it close enough to the ground that the birds will get to it. Of course, having suet close to the ground poses the risk of ants and other creatures getting at the suet as well.
Provide this to the birds and you will be one-step closer to having them in your backyard on a regular basis.
Utilizing the Birdbath
A garden birdbath is one of those extra features that will draw these birds into your garden. Ensure that the birds have access to clean, fresh water for the best results. This works not only on the Junco but is a great way to drive many different bird species into your area. Make sure to choose a bird bath that is shallow, as birds need to be able to reach the bottom of the bath. You also want to ensure that the bottom of the garden bird bath is not slippery. You can do this by adding a few stones to the bottom, which also raises the water level. If you do invest in one, consider those that feature running water as this will lure in the junco and other bird species more quickly and easily.
A garden birdbath is one of the easiest ways to bring these birds into your backyard. What is important, though, is that you keep supplying these items to ensure that the birds keep coming back.
YourBirdOasis.com offers a wide variety of bird food, bird baths, and suet. Check out our bird food supplies here: http://www.yourbirdoasis.com/featured-bird-supplies-bird-food.html
Image of Dark-eyed Junco by Darin Ziegler |  Almost every backyard birder loves spotting a hummingbird feeding from a flower or bird feeder. We are all intrigued with the hummingbird and much of the intrigue comes from this little bird’s amazing physical qualities. Hummers regularly beat their wings between 20 and 80 times A SECOND and 200 times a second during periods of courtship. They can fly up to 60mph and their little hearts beat between 480 to 1,200 times per minute. Unlike most other bird species, the hummer burns approximately 98% of the calories they consume. Fortunately, in North America we have several different vibrant and beautiful hummingbird species. How do you attract hummingbirds to your garden? Think red! Hummers are attracted to bright red flowering plants. Try planting the following: 1. Bee Balm – A gorgeous flowering plant reminiscent of an exploding crimson firework. When planting Bee Balm choose a place a site with full sun to light shade and rich, well-drained soil.
2. Cigar Plant – a long tubular plant with orange-red blooms. At the end of the long tube, is a thin pistil that look like a the flower is sticking out its tongue at onlookers. It withstands heat well and will thrive in full sun to part shade.
3. Trumpet Honeysuckle – an enticing flower available in red, orange, and yellow blooms. This plant will climb well so should be positioned near a fence.
4. Cardinal Flower – was named after the Cardinal, a strikingly-colored bird that commands attention. This plant can grow up to four feet tall in partial shade to full sun.
A garden brimming with vivid colors is sure to capture local hummingbird’s attention. Your garden will zing with life and provide hummingbirds a haven. In addition to planting red flowering plants consider placing a few hummingbird feeders in various spots in your garden. Vibrant flowering plants coupled with hummingbird feeders will increase your chances of luring them to your garden. A hummingbird will look to diversify their food sources and a few bird feeders will aid in that diversification. Please be sure not to use food coloring in your bird feeders.
Don’t forget a water source as well. Bird baths or bird bath misters work wonderfully for hummingbirds. They need a water source like most other wild birds, especially during hot summer days.
Lastly, provide perching areas for your hummingbirds. It may seem like they are constantly on the go, but hummingbirds spend approximately 80% of their time perching.
Happy Birding! |  Winter is approaching and for many of us, this means snow and/or dry weather. For our feathered friends, this season may increase their reliance on bird feeders and birdbaths. Not only do bird use birdbaths to clean up, they will also stop by for a drink of water. By using a birdbath in your backyard, you will attract both your traditional seedeaters, but also others that may rely on insects or berries.
A fountain bird bath will continually cycle the water, and therefore reduce your time spent cleaning and also may prevent freezing. However, if you live in the northern latitudes you can either place a “De-icer,” “Bird Bath Ice Eliminator,” or GulfStream Bird Bath Heater” in your current birdbath, or use an already heated birdbath.
Maintaining a clean birdbath is important in keeping birds around your backyard. In some areas, you may find “red” algae or fallen leaves sustained at the bottom of your birdbaths.
There are several steps you can take in maintaining a clean birdbath:
1) Simply remove the dirty water and debris from your birdbath and refill with clean water.
2) Place the birdbath away from trees or shrubs where leaves may fall into the water.
3) Keep the feeders away from your birdbath. Birds can be voracious eaters during the winter. Seed shells can decompose in stagnant water and cause a mess.
Diseases have become an increasing concern for wild birds. Stagnant water and bird feeders can develop into vectors for disease transmission if not cleaned regularly. In order to clean your birdbath, all you need are gloves, a scrubber, clean water, and chlorine bleach (or equivalent).
1) Dilute 3/4 cup of bleach with 1 gallon of water (wear gloves!).
2) Dump any remaining water out of birdbath.
3) Rinse birdbath with clean water.
4) Scrub (wear gloves!) birdbath for a few minutes and then allow it to sit for a few more (totally around 5-7 minutes).
5) Rinse birdbath 4-5 times with fresh water to remove any residual bleach.
6) Add new water – you have a clean birdbath!
Bird baths are useful to attract a variety of birds and other wildlife to your own backyard. Keep them clean and filled and you will have frequent visits! |
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