Written By Alice Gibb
Falconry, a sport that was introduced as early as 2000 B.C., is the hunting of wild quarry by means of a trained bird of prey. Those birds of prey can be falcons, several species of hawks or hybrids. Red-tailed hawks are often trained to hunt in co-operation with a human.
In the summer of 1935, cherry orchards in the Parkhill district were falling prey to greedy flocks of starlings. When it was learned that four enterprising Parkhill residents had formed “Canada’s first falconry club,” the solution seemed obvious. Using large Canadian hawks, similar to the falcons used centuries before in Europe, the cherry trees were guarded so well, according to a London Free Press story, “that not one bird (starling) dared to venture close enough to steal fruit.”
The men who had organized the informal club were Dr. G.W. Racey; postmaster Jack Dawson; D.W. Mackinnon, a breeder of field spaniels, and local harness dealer G.F. Fenn.
Darting from the gauntleted wrist of the club members, the birds flew high into the heavens before swooping down on their prey. After their work was done, well-trained hawks returned to the trainer’s wrist to be hooded. Apparently particularly well-trained birds were allowed to fly without a tether and always returned to their trainers.
When J.J. Johnston, area fruit inspector, heard of the Parkhill falconry club, he wondered if the birds of prey might be a solution to starlings stripping the local cherry crop. An experiment was tried in a group of trees on club member Fenn’s property. A falcon was simply left tethered all day in one of the trees. Starlings and robins chattered indignantly from adjacent trees and telegraph wires but wisely avoided sampling the cherries.
During the test, not one starling was killed. Nor was one cherry stolen. One wandering robin almost flew within reach of the tethered falcon, but suddenly realized his peril and made a lucky escape.
The four club members planned to hold a formal falcon meet in the fall. Spaniels would be used to flush birds from their hiding places in bushes and the falcons would then be unhooded to sweep after them. The hoods and bells used by club members were ordered specially from Holland. Baby hawks were taken from nests shortly after they were hatched and brought up by the trainers. It isn’t known how long the falconry club lasted.
Having once witnessed a red-tailed hawk swoop down on a plump London pigeon, and kill it on the wing, this writer can’t imagine having a raptor (trained or otherwise) resting on one’s wrist. However, anyone wishing to protect their fruit trees this summer can visit the Falconry Canada website for more information on the sport.
