Falconry exists all over the world, on five continents, and is practiced by some 30,000 people globally. Falconry is the art of hunting wild quarry with a trained bird of prey. Arguably, it first began in present day Kazakhstan and Mongolia, roughly four thousand years ago. Kazakh eagle falconry is among the most traditional kind of falconry in the world, and has remained largely unchanged since ancient times. Eaglehunters today are very proud of their tradition. The object of owning an eagle is to catch foxes. It used to be, that the fox pelts provided a substantial part of an eaglehunter's income, but not anymore. The price for pelts has plummeted, and these days, eaglehunting is done for pleasure and preserving the tradition.
All eagles used in falconry in Mongolia are obtained from the wild. The big difference is whether they are taken from the nest (colberkut or "hand eagle") or whether they are trapped as adults from the wild. The latter provides for better falconry, is the more traditional form, and if you want to see eaglehunting, I strongly suggest you choose someone who uses the adult eagle from the wild. These eagles have already caught many foxes, and all an eaglehunter must do is tame them to the point where they accept human presence. It takes about one month to train an eagle from the wild. The other kind of eagle, from the nest (the tell-tale sign of this kind of eagle, is one that screams constantly!) has no knowledge of how to fly, hunt, and survive. It must be taught, which is a long, drawn-out process that very few eaglehunters are capable of doing. The reason many eagles from the nest are taken is that they are very tolerant of crowds of people, and are far more reliable for use in the "Eagle Festival". Eagles from the wild are too skittish to accept the thronging crowds associated with the eagle festivals, but they fly like the wind and are marvelous hunters.
The amount of white on an eagle's tail and under its wings denotes its age. A first year eagle will have a tail that is mostly white, and obvious white patches on either wing. As it gets older, the amount of white will shrink with each molt, until the tail and wings are entirely dark, at about 5 years of age.
Hunting is only done from October to February, and the rest of the year, eagles are tethered near a river, allowed to eat as much as they like, and molt. The reason is molting takes a lot of energy, and an eagle must be kept very fat to molt successfully. Also, hunting in the spring and summer is bad for fox populations - you do not want to hunt pregnant animals, ones that have young, or the young themselves. Plus, the pelts in summer are thin, it is the luxurious winter coats that are desired.
Eagles are not really flown after wolves. That is a misconception that some people propagate because they think it is what tourists want to hear. Wolves are far too big and dangerous, and almost every eagle will refuse to fly after such a dangerous animal. Sagsai and Ulaanhaus soum have the most eaglehunters, and consequently, the fewest foxes. If you want to see eaglehunting with a high probability of success, I would recommend going to Daluun soum, Bayannuur soum, or Altai soum.
During the winter, eagles are kept on a "torr" or a three-legged wooden stand and hooded. The hood is a training tool that keeps the animal calm, sort of a like a horse with blinders. If the eagles were not hooded, they would be constantly trying to fly, and would quickly sap their energy and may even damage feathers.
To hunt foxes, an eagle must have a height advantage. It is very difficult for an eagle to fly uphill, and a fox running uphill is far faster. Additionally, an eagle with a height advantage has many options in how to catch the fox, whereas if it is level its only option is to grab the fox from behind, which could easily dodge out of the way. In the wild, eagles soar and quarter the ground, always watching from a great height, for movement below. In falconry, this is mimicked by the falconer riding horses to the very tops of mountains. Once the top of the mountain in a given area is reached, the eagle is unhooded and lots of noise is made in an attempt to scare a fox into the open. Sometimes a "scare boy" comes along; somebody who rides his horse across the valley, trying to scare foxes below the eaglehunter. If the eaglehunter sees a fox, the eagle is released. Or, because the eagle's eyesight is far better than a human’s, if the eagle indicates that it sees a fox (certain head movements, or a repeated attempt to fly), it is released.
Usually the foxes flushed are very distant -- a rust-colored spot scooting along far below and away. This doesn't matter to the eagle. As long as it can see the fox, it has the possibility of catching it. The most dramatic maneuver is when an eagle stoops vertically, sometimes hundreds of feet, directly above the fox. Foxes are quite wily, and will run in circles or dodge at the last second, or jump into the air in an attempt to avoid the eagle. Most of the time the fox will succeed. But, if the eagle collides with the fox, it is the falconer's job to get there are quickly as possible to help. Eagles cannot carry foxes, as they are far too heavy. And birds of prey CAN NOT be trained to bring anything back to the falconer. That is not how it works. The falconer always has to go to the eagle. The eagle will kill and begin eating the fox. The falconer trades the eagle off the fox for a piece of meat on the glove, and then hoods the eagle after it has finished eating. The fox is then tied to the horse, taken home, and quickly skinned. The meat is fed to the eagle on a later occasion. If the eagle misses the fox, then the falconer calls it back to him either by putting meat on his glove and shouting, or by dragging a fox-skin lure across the ground, if the eagle is especially far.
Dedicated eaglehunters may catch between 10 and 40 foxes a year. Any more than that, and it is likely to be exaggeration! As a predator species, a given area can only hold so many foxes. There must be enough marmots, rabbits, and rodents to sustain them - and even in very rich areas - you are likley to see only between 1-3 foxes a day.
Most eaglehunters will be happy to let you touch or hold their eagle. However, you should only do this when the eagle is hooded. Otherwise, you may be grabbed! Eagles do not bite, but may lash out with their feet. Eagles do not mind photos or flashes, however. Hold you arm flat, if you angle your arm down, the eagle will walk up your arm. They prefer flat surfaces. Also, to properly hold an eagle, you make a fist with your thumb on top - that's the most stable surface. Eagles weigh between 9 and 11lbs in wintertime. If an eaglehunter tells you different - don't listen! They like to exaggerate. In summer, they can weigh much more, because they are allowed to eat all they can. In winter, an eagle's diet is strictly regulated. Think of them as athletes. To have any chance of catching a wild fox, they must be fit, strong, hungry and healthy.
Every night, the majority of an eagle's meal is fed from a bowl in the ger or winter home. This is a technique to manage aggression. If you fed an eagle huge amounts off your glove, or the foxes it catches, then it becomes very possessive of your glove or foxes. You don't want that - eagles are too big to have to deal with an aggressive individual. By feeding the bulk of its daily ration for a bowl at home, you create good manners in the field.
If you stay with an eaglehunter, ask questions! Any questions! They are very proud of their heritage and would love to answer anything you might want to ask about eagles.
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