Success!

Just a quick update--the last two days have been something of a blur.

Sunday evening I became the owner of a 30.2 oz tiercel red-tailed hawk. Spotted just before dark in an area we'd trapped over probably a dozen times, he sat calmly on the trap and allowed himself to be picked up with little fuss.

We spent a few hours the first night getting to know each other. He is remarkably calm, and has only bated (jumping from the fist and flapping around) once in two days.

He ate readily the next day, now down to 28 oz. Took three bites from forceps then did a face-plant in a quarter quail. Success!

This morning we worked on jumping to the glove for bites of food, which came with no problem.
He was down another two ounces to 26.4 this morning, even with the meal last night, so he worked for three ounces of food this AM and he's still looking around eagerly for more. Part of this morning's meal was a quail wing for "tiring"--not much actual food, but satisfying because it takes some work to pick apart. Left calm on perch at 6:30.


He still hasn't told me his name. I keep running through every source I can imagine, and haven't come across it yet. Will keep you posted!