The Harris Hawk
(Parabuteo unicinctus)
Origin: USA
The Harris Hawk is the most sociable of all hawks and will happily socialise
with each other in the wild. They make excellent first hawks for the novice.
The Harris has now become by far the most popular hawk to be flown in the UK. It has a good all round ability and for a lot of falconers is everything they look for in a hawk.
The range of quarry and game will cover rabbits, hare, pheasant, etc. The females having a distinct advantage over the males on hare because of their size and weight. They can be flown together as a cast which can produce amazing flights, turning a run-of-the-mill session into a spectacular one. They can also be good make hawks for an immature, teaching them in a more natural way.
Harrises, if trained properly, will happily follow on.
Verdict: Altogether a good all-rounder.
The Redtail Buzzard
(Buteo jamaicensis)
Origin: USA
Redtails are not an ideal beginner's bird as they can be sticky-footed and have powerful feet and sometimes can be very temperamental, which can be very off-putting to the novice.
On the positive side, they are a supercharged version of the Common Buzzard. Fitness is the key to a good Redtail. She should be flown hard on every day possible and, when fit, will be capable of taking rabbit, hare, pheasant, duck, etc. The main aim should be to give her good slips early on to build her confidence. Redtails will excel the more seasons they have behind them so patience is also a great factor.
Verdict: All in all a most underrated hawk
