But how has this practice developed in different geographical areas?
The environment has a major influence on falconry, shaping local variations on traditional practice. For example, in the deserts of Arabia, the open terrain allows falcons to fly long distances, and the steppes of Asia allow both falcons and large eagles to fly. On the other hand, in wooded areas and semi-open farmland, such as most of Europe, Japan, parts of China and the Republic of Korea, low-flying birds such as goshawks and sparrowhawks are preferred.
The falconry community
A bond ofalmkhuwa (brotherhood, UAE) or al-shareek (partnership ethics, Saudi Arabia) governs the conduct of falconers. Almkhuwa means the bond of companionship and equal sharing of tasks, costs and responsibilities during a hunting trip. These are usually groups of six to twelve falconers who go out for a period of one to three weeks. After a day's hunting, they gather around a campfire and tell stories or anecdotes about the day just passed, often composing poems. For the almkhuwa group, falconry is a way of savoring a cultural tradition that celebrates the spirit of camaraderie in the desert.
In Arab falconry, the falconer pronounces the name of God in front of the bird or animal caught by his falcon. Falconers take their children into the desert and teach them how to master the falcon and develop a relationship of trust with a bird that is often part of the family. It's a long process that leads the falcon to recognize the falconer's voice. The process also involves perfecting skills such as the art of feeding and carrying the falcon on the fist, or calling the falcon by spinning a decoy.
The falcons
Falcons belong to the Falconidae family. In the wild, they can live up to 20 years, and slightly less in captivity. The varieties prized by falconers are "hunters" and their choice depends on the prey being targeted. In the Emirates, it's mainly the peregrine falcons that migrate from Siberia to the Arabian Peninsula in late summer, and which were trained to hunt, among other things, the Houbara bustard. Falcons have large, tapering wings, and are fast and capable of long, high-altitude pursuit flights, which is why they are used for high-flying hunting. In high-flying hunting, the falconer launches his falcon at prey already in the air, giving rise to spectacular pursuits in the sky, especially when the prey seeks refuge on the ground, and the falcon swoops down on it at over 300 km/hour for peregrine falcons. The raptor can also seize its prey in flight or throw it to the ground by striking it violently with its talons. Their speed and skill are unrivalled. Today, wild falcons face new perils such as pesticides, uninsulated power lines and habitat degradation and loss, all of which are reducing their population. Falconers are striving to maintain these populations on a national and international level. The Sheikh Zayed Bird Release Program, launched in 1995, will continue to reintroduce falcons into their natural environment in Asia. The program has already resulted in the release of over 2,000 falcons. In Mongolia, a large-scale artificial nesting program for peregrine falcons, which will also support pastoral communities, is being set up with the help of the UAE and the agreement of CITES.
Falconry in the United Arab Emirates
Since 1978, hunting has been banned in the Emirates, and it is illegal to catch falcons in the wild. It is estimated that 20% of the local population owns one or more falcons. They all come from breeding farms in Spain, Germany and Canada, to name but a few. From autumn, at the start of the hunting season, trips are organized outside the territory to Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Afghanistan and Morocco. The Emirates were the first country in the world to create a passport for falcons, to allow them to travel in a cabin with a specially equipped seat, and to found the first hospital dedicated to the raptor in Abu Dhabi, which remains the largest in the world. Today, falconry in the United Arab Emirates has become a veritable national sport, encouraged by the sovereigns. In Dubai, competitions are regularly organized, such as the popular Fazza Championships for Falconry, with its falcon races. Like all sportsmen and women, the birds of prey undergo months of training before they can take part.
Among Emiratis, the falcon is associated with the values of camaraderie and courage. The practice of this sport enables them to keep alive the heritage and traditions of their fathers, in a country that in just a few years has been propelled towards wealth and the modern world. The falcon is present in all everyday interactions: banknotes, ministry letterheads, highway number cartridges, on driving licenses, and on every page of Emirati passports. Far from dying out, falconry is enjoying a golden age.
