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Falconry, the hunting of wild animals in their natural habitat using trained birds of prey, is a traditional Arabian sport that has spread across the world. However, its practice is highly restricted in Australia due to stringent regulations governing the possession and use of birds of prey. While not explicitly illegal, recreational falconry remains outside the bounds of current legislation, with permits only granted for specific purposes such as rehabilitation, education, and conservation. This regulatory grey area has resulted in a fragmented falconry community with limited support and contact, leading to the potential for harmful and inappropriate practices.
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What You'll Learn
- Falconry is not outright illegal in Australia, but it is heavily regulated
- Raptors can only be kept for specific purposes such as rehabilitation or education
- Falconry is limited to those with approved purposes, primarily education and rehabilitation
- There is a lack of cohesion in Australia's falconry community, leading to a lack of support and resources
- Falconry techniques are used in Western Australia to rehabilitate birds of prey
Falconry is not outright illegal in Australia, but it is heavily regulated
Falconry is not explicitly illegal in Australia, but its practice is heavily restricted due to stringent regulations governing the use and possession of birds of prey. These regulations are in place to protect birds of prey, which suffered extreme persecution from the early 20th century through the 1960s, with thousands of birds being shot at migration sites and state-sanctioned bounties placed on their carcasses.
At present, raptors may only be kept for specific purposes such as rehabilitation or education, and any activity outside of these categories requires special approval. In other words, recreational falconry remains outside the bounds of current legislation. Falconry is defined as the hunting of wild animals in their natural state and habitat by means of a trained bird of prey, and this practice is generally not permitted in Australia.
However, there are some exceptions to these strict regulations. In Victoria, special permits have been granted for the use of raptors in bird abatement roles, such as deterring pest birds from agricultural areas and airports. In Western Australia, licensed rehabilitators are permitted to use falconry techniques and hunt alongside raptors as part of the pre-release process to ensure their success in the wild. This allows rehabilitators to assess and strengthen a bird's ability to hunt and survive independently. Licensed exhibitors across Australia may also use birds of prey in educational demonstrations, but only within the scope of their permits.
The fragmented nature of the falconry community in Australia, with little contact between practitioners, has contributed to a lack of quality resources and support for those working with these birds. This has led to people with good intentions inadvertently following bad advice or developing inappropriate practices that can cause harm. To address this issue, the Raptor Rehabilitation Association of Western Australia (now known as the Raptor Flies Association of Western Australia) was formed in 2015 to improve the standards of care for raptors in the state. The group has developed a raptor reporting system and a digital member database to enhance traceability, accountability, and the sharing of knowledge.
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Raptors can only be kept for specific purposes such as rehabilitation or education
Falconry is not explicitly illegal in Australia, but its practice is restricted due to stringent regulations governing the use and possession of birds of prey. Raptors may only be kept for specific purposes, such as rehabilitation or education. Any activity outside of these categories requires special approval.
In the state of Victoria, special permits have been granted for the use of raptors in bird abatement roles. This involves deterring pest birds from agricultural areas, airports, and similar locations. Licensed rehabilitators in Western Australia are permitted to use falconry techniques and hunt alongside the raptors as part of the pre-release process to ensure their success in the wild. This allows rehabilitators to assess and strengthen a bird's ability to hunt and survive independently.
Licensed exhibitors across Australia may use birds of prey in educational demonstrations, but only within the scope of their permits. Recreational falconry remains outside the bounds of current legislation. While not outright banned, it is subject to heavy regulation and limited to those with specific, approved purposes.
The fragmented nature of the falconry community in Australia has contributed to a lack of support and resources for practitioners. This has resulted in people with good intentions inadvertently causing harm to the birds. To address this, the Raptor Rehabilitation Association of Western Australia (now the Raptor Flies Association of Western Australia) was formed to improve the standards of care for raptors and provide access to quality information and support.
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Falconry is limited to those with approved purposes, primarily education and rehabilitation
Falconry is not explicitly illegal in Australia, but its practice is highly restricted due to stringent regulations governing the use and possession of birds of prey. Falconry is defined as the hunting of wild animals in their natural habitat by means of a trained bird of prey. In Australia, the use of raptors is limited to specific purposes, primarily education and rehabilitation.
Licensed exhibitors in Australia may use birds of prey in educational demonstrations, but only within the scope of their permits. These permits outline the approved activities and ensure that the birds are used for educational purposes only. Any activity outside of these approved purposes requires special approval.
In the state of Victoria, special permits have been granted for the use of raptors in bird abatement roles. This involves deterring pest birds from agricultural areas, airports, and similar locations. Falconry techniques are employed to condition the pest birds to associate these locations with negative experiences, encouraging them to find new habitats.
Falconry is also permitted in Australia for rehabilitation purposes. Licensed rehabilitators are allowed to use falconry techniques as part of the pre-release process for injured or rehabilitated birds. By hunting alongside the raptors, rehabilitators can assess and strengthen the bird's ability to survive in the wild, increasing their chances of successful reintegration into their natural environment.
While falconry for recreational purposes remains outside the bounds of current legislation in Australia, there are efforts to improve the support and resources available to practitioners. The fragmented nature of the falconry community in Australia has led to a lack of quality resources and isolation for those working with these specialized creatures. To address this, the Raptor Rehabilitation Association of Western Australia (now known as the Raptor Flies Association of Western Australia) was formed to advocate for better standards of care and improve access to information for those working with raptors.
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There is a lack of cohesion in Australia's falconry community, leading to a lack of support and resources
Falconry is not explicitly illegal in Australia, but its practice is highly restricted due to stringent regulations governing the use and possession of birds of prey. The fragmented nature of the falconry community in Australia has resulted in a lack of cohesion, which, in turn, has led to limited support and resources for practitioners. This lack of cohesion has had negative consequences, with people being forced to attempt the rehabilitation of specialised birds without adequate knowledge or guidance. The absence of quality resources and support has resulted in even well-intentioned individuals potentially causing harm through the use of inappropriate practices and techniques.
The regulatory and legal framework surrounding falconry in Australia is complex and unclear, which further discourages positive engagement within the community. This ambiguity has created a legal grey area, making it challenging for practitioners to navigate the boundaries of what is permitted and what is not. As a result, falconers may hesitate to openly interact with each other, regulatory authorities, or veterinary services, exacerbating the sense of isolation within the community.
In March 2015, an effort was made to address these issues with the formation of the Raptor Rehabilitation Association of Western Australia (RRAWA). This group aimed to improve the standards of care for raptors in Western Australia and ensure that anyone working with birds of prey had access to quality information and support. The association recognised the need for clear objectives and guidance in the evolving landscape of falconry rehabilitation.
The RRAWA has since updated its constitution and name, now known as the Raptor Flies Association of Western Australia (RFAWA). This change reflects the organisation's advocacy work and commitment to clarifying policies and encouraging transparency in the practice of falconry. Through the establishment of a raptor reporting system and a digital member database, the RFAWA has enhanced traceability, accountability, and the ability to track the historical progress of their work. Furthermore, the association has forged connections with other rehabilitators, researchers, falconers, and veterinary professionals both within Australia and worldwide.
While the efforts of the RFAWA have undoubtedly contributed to positive changes in the care and rehabilitation of birds of prey in Western Australia, the broader Australian falconry community still faces challenges due to the fragmented nature and lack of cohesion among practitioners. These issues continue to hinder the availability of support and resources, impacting the welfare of both the practitioners and the birds they dedicate themselves to caring for and rehabilitating.
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Falconry techniques are used in Western Australia to rehabilitate birds of prey
Falconry is not explicitly illegal in Australia, but its practice is highly restricted due to stringent regulations governing the use and possession of birds of prey. Falconry is defined as the hunting of wild quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of a trained bird of prey. At present, raptors may only be kept for specific purposes such as rehabilitation or education, and any activity outside of these categories requires special approval.
In Western Australia, licensed rehabilitators are permitted to use falconry techniques and hunt alongside the raptors as part of the pre-release process to ensure their success in the wild. This allows them to assess and strengthen a bird's ability to hunt and survive independently in the wild.
In March 2015, a small group of falconers and rehabilitators came together to form the Raptor Rehabilitation Association of Western Australia (RRAWA). They aimed to improve the standards of care for raptors in Western Australia and ensure that everyone dealing with birds of prey had access to quality information and support. RRAWA has since updated its constitution and name and is now known as the Raptor Flies Association of Western Australia (RFAWA).
RFAWA has developed a raptor reporting system and a digital member database to enhance traceability and accountability. They have also made connections with other rehabilitators and leaders in research, falconry, and veterinary science both locally and internationally. Additionally, RFAWA has achieved associate member status of the International Association for Falconers and Conservation of Birds of Prey (IAF).
The use of falconry techniques in bird rehabilitation has also evolved with the advent of technology. In Western Australia, the Raptor Fliers Association of WA uses free-flight falconry techniques with GPS and drones to rehabilitate injured or orphaned birds. This program is licensed by the WA State Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attraction.
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Frequently asked questions
Falconry is not explicitly illegal in Australia, but its practice is highly restricted due to stringent regulations governing the use and possession of birds of prey.
At present, raptors may only be kept for specific purposes such as rehabilitation or education, and any activity outside of these categories requires special approval.
In Victoria, special permits have been granted for the use of raptors in bird abatement roles, such as deterring pest birds from agricultural areas and airports. In Western Australia, licensed rehabilitators are permitted to use falconry techniques to hunt alongside raptors as part of the pre-release process to ensure their success in the wild.
The regulatory and legal framework surrounding falconry in Australia has been unclear, leaving practitioners in a legal grey area. In 2015, the first state-wide group concerned with birds of prey using falconry techniques for rehabilitation, the Raptor Rehabilitation Association of Western Australia (RRAWA), was formed. RRAWA has since updated its constitution and name to the Raptor Flies Association of Western Australia (RFAWA) and has worked to improve standards of care and clarify policies for those working with raptors.
The falconry community in Australia is fragmented, with little contact between practitioners, leading to limited support and isolation. The lack of a cohesive community and quality resources has resulted in people with good intentions inadvertently using inappropriate and harmful techniques and practices.
