Still Trying To Make Up Your Mind?

• A BOND WITH THE WILD
  North American Falconer’s Association. 1993.  North American Falconers Association. Berthoud, CO. 207pg. (out of print) Twenty-four essays by several of the best modern falconers trying to explain why we go to all the effort and expense of falconry. A great book on the "why-we-do" of falconry.
   

• THE LURE OF FALCONRY - video
  California Hawking Club. 1991.  
  This 20-minute video is an excellent introduction to our sport; contains information hard to find from other sources. The educational video reveals the incredible partnership between humans and birds of prey, and it is a good introduction to the art of falconry. It explains how state and federal regulations protect both the raptors flown in falconry, as well as wild raptor populations. The video is especially useful to the prospective falconer who is trying to make up their mind to "take the plunge," as well as the experienced falconer. It is the best video to illustrate both the risks and the rewards of this ancient, compelling sport.
   

Acquiring Basic Knowledge And Studying For The Test

• A FALCONRY MANUAL
  (2nd edition), Beebe, F. L. 1992. Hancock House, Blaine. 197pg.
  This is an excellent companion to the previous California Hawking Club products. This book, when added to the video, the study guide, and apprentice manual, should be able to help you make the final decision to become a falconer and provide with the basic information that would help you pass "The Test."
   

• APPRENTICE STUDY GUIDE
  Holderman, F.W. (Ed.). 1998. California Hawking Club. 110pg.
  This study guide helps you prepare for the falconry exam that is required by the US Fish & Wildlife Service and is administered by individual states. It provides questions similar (not identical) to those included on the exam, and it provides explanations for correct answers. The study guide covers identification, natural history, hunting and falconry techniques, health and illnesses, and an up-to date section on laws and regulations.
   

• APPRENTICE MANUAL
  California Hawking Club. In Press.
  This is a narrative supplement to the California Hawking Club APPRENTICE STUDY GUIDE.
   

Organizing Your Equipment And Facilities

• FALCONRY EQUIPMENT
  Kimsey, B.A and J. Hodge. 1998. (2nd printing), Kimsey/Hodge Publications, Houston, TX. 184pg.
  After you pass the test, you will need to get your equipment and facilities together to pass the required inspection. This book and your sponsor will be your best guides to hawk houses (mews), weathering areas, perches, and a variety of falconry equipment to properly care for a bird.
   

Manning, Training, and Hunting

• AMERICAN KESTRELS IN MODERN FALCONRY
  Mullenix, M. 2002. Western Sporting Publications, Ranchester, WY. 139 pg.
  The first and only hawking guide that is devoted completely to training and caring for the challenging American kestrel. This book is an excellent companion to the books on the red-tailed hawk, and it is an absolute necessity if you are considering a kestrel.
   

• BUTEOS AND BUSHYTAILS
  Brewer, G. 1995.. GLB Publications, Chandler, TX. 135pg.
  Highly focused on the art of squirrel hunting in dense woods with red-tails and Harris' hawks. Exceptionally reader friendly.
   

• TOPICAL SELECTIONS FROM HAWK CHALK -- Conditioning and Training
  Shor, W. 1997, North American Falconers Association.
  This set of selected articles have been reprinted from the pages of HAWK CHALK (the NAFA newsletter) and discuss the latest training and conditioning techniques, including operant conditioning and click training.
   

• Both of the following manuals are devoted to training and caring for the passage red-tail hawk. While other authors have covered a variety of subjects for all levels of falconers, McGranaghan and Oakes have focused on the passage red-tail in a way that particularly benefits apprentice or beginner falconers. Topics range from equipment/facilities, trapping, manning and hunting.
   

  • THE FALCONER'S APPRENTICE
    Oakes, W. 1993.  -- A Guide to Training the Red-Tailed Hawk. EagleWing Publishing, Warrens, WI. 175pg.
     

  • THE RED-TAILED HAWK
    McGranaghan, L. 1996.  -- A complete guide to training and hunting North America's most versatile game hawk. Privately published. 160pg.
     

Expanding On The Basics -- Achieving Greater Perspectives

• THE HISTORY AND PRACTICES OF FALCONRY
  Oswald, A. 1982. . Spearman, Jersey. 120pg.
  Oswald discusses the history of falconry from our shadowy beginnings until the modern day. Many falconry books cover little, if any, of the history of falconry, but this one is devoted to the topic. The small volume lends perspective to the traditions of our sport.
   

• THE PILGRIM AND THE COWBOY
  McKay, P. 1989. . McGraw-Hill Publisher. Co., New York, NY. 214pg. (ISBN 0-07-045317-9)
  All falconers, young and old, must constantly be reminded about Operation Falcon -- one of the 'darkest events' in American falconry. This book, written by investigative journalist Paul McKay, recounts this undercover sting operation that culminated in June, 1984. The author illustrates how a few individuals were able to 'create' a black market in falcons that resulted in several falconers being enticed into breaking the law.
   

• FALCONRY, ART AND PRACTICE
  Ford, E. 1992. Blandford, London. 191pg.
  Very much the British equivalent to Frank L. Beebe’s A FALCONRY MANUAL, Ms. Ford covers falconry in England, where the handling the birds is very similar, but the laws and regulations are quite different as compare to in North America.
   

• NORTH AMERICAN FALCONRY AND HUNTING HAWKS
  Beebe, F.L and H. M. Webster. 1994.  (7th edition). Privately printed, Denver, CO. 540pg.
  One of the most comprehensive books on falconry, this masterpiece covers the depth and breadth of falconry in North America, with somewhat of an emphasis on long wings. [NLP]
   

• UNDERSTANDING THE BIRD OF PREY
  Fox, N. 1995. Hancock, Blaine. 384pg.
  Primarily a technical book about birds of prey, Chapters 7 and 8 discuss hunting with raptors (falconry) and the interactions between raptors and humans that lends additional insights to the how we work with our birds.
   

• DESERT HAWKING . . .WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS
  McElroy, H. 1996. . Privately published. 430pg.
  Written and published by one of America’s foremost short-wing falconers, this book expands on the apgrentice’s perspectives to include the accipiters and Harris' hawks.
   

• UNDERSTANDING GOSHAWKS
  Perkins, D. 2008. Privately published. 175pg.
  Former NAFA President and Author Darryl A. Perkins has captured the essence of this northern predator of the boreal forest and gives the reader an intimate glance into the psyche and training of this magnificent bird.
  

• THE IMPRINT ACCIPITER II
  McDermott, M. 2009. Western Sporting, 2nd Edition 272pg.
  A superbly written book by Mike McDermott that has a great new wealth of information about training the Northern Goshawk, Coopers hawk and Sharp-shinned hawk. A full color edition with many new pictures, graphs and illustrations.
   

• THE Harris's Hawk Revolution
  Coulson, Jenifer and Tom 2012. Parabuteo Publishing, L.L.C., 661pg.
  This falconry book is specifically designed to help falconers become better caretakers, trainers, and hunters, to help breeders increase production, and to make captive bred raptors better falconry birds and hunting hawks. The Coulsons teach about husbandry, rearing, training, socialization, scouting, hunting, selective breeding, and captive propagation techniques.

Ancient And Modern Classics

Some of the following books may no longer be in print, and most are considered classics on falconry and birds of prey. If you're lucky, you might be able to locate a copy to check out of a library or borrow one from another falconer. If you're really lucky, you might be able to purchase on for your own bookshelf, but expect to pay the price. As for obtaining your own personal copy, these books occasionally appear on lists of book available from book vendors or in silent auctions. Another source might be by obtaining one free as a door prize at a falconry meet or a picnic (that is if you're really, really lucky!).

• DE ARTE VENANDI CUM AVIBUS ("The Art of Falconry").
  Emperor Fredrick II of Hohenstaufen. 1248. Translated and edited by C.A. Wood and F.M. Fyfe in 1943 (later reprinted in 1955 and reissued in 1961), Stanford University Press, Stanford, CA. 637pg.
  You won't find any more of a classic book on falconry than this one -- it was the first major work published on falconry, and has been acclaimed in ornithological textbooks as a hallmark book on the study of birds. Although it has been 750 years since this treatise was written, much of it was penned in a manner that reflects the knowledge and experience of some of the best modern falconers. Not only does it address the training and hunting of birds of prey, but it contains a wealth of information on the ecology and behavior of waterfowl and upland game birds as well.
   

• THE GOSHAWK
  White, T.H. 1996. Lyons and Burford Co., New York, NY. 215pg.
  This book was first published in 1951. It is a well-written classic about a man learning about falconry.
   

• A HAWK FOR THE BUSH
  Mavrogordato, J. 1960.  Clarkson N. Potter, Inc. New York, NY. 206pg.
  A classic book on training shortwings, with an emphasis on Old World short-winged hawks. Expect to pay big bucks for this book, if you can find a copy (out of print and in high demand).
   

• THE ART AND PRACTICE OF HAWKING (7th edition)
  Mitchell, E.B. 1971. Charles T. Branford Co., Newton, MA. 291pg.
  This classic book on falconry in Great Britain was first published in 1900. This reference is better for providing a glimpse of what falconry was like during the late 1800's in England, rather than being a guide for the practice of falconry in North America today.
   

• OBSERVATIONS ON MODERN FALCONRY
  Stevens, R. 1978. . Falconiformes Press Ltd., Saskatoon, Sask. 112pg. (ISBN 0-920158-04-8)
  An excellent text that entirely lacks pictures and diagrams. Yet, this book provides excellent food for thought and reflection for someone who has already trained a couple of birds. It has brief but excellent passages on hooding, hacking, and the gyrfalcon.
   

Natural History And Biology Of Raptors

• LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS OF PREY (Vol. I & II)
  Bent, A.C. 1937-1938. , Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 409pg & 482 pg.
  These two volumes, which are part of a larger set of volumes dedicated to the life histories of all North American birds, represent one of the most comprehensive looks into the lives of raptors. Have plenty of time available, if you should choose to read these two volumes cover to cover.
   

• POPULATION ECOLOGY OF RAPTORS
  Newton, I. 1979. , Buteo Books, Vermilion, SD. 399pg.
  Dr. Ian Newton is considered by many authorities to be the leading raptor biologist in the world. In this book, he synthesizes virtually all of the published literature that existed on raptor population biology at the time of publication. The book truly sets a standard for what is known and what is not known about raptor population dynamics and population interactions. While it is "a must" for any professional raptor biologist, its readability lends it also to being a leading choice to occupy the bookshelf of most falconers and raptor enthusiasts.
   

• EAGLES, HAWKS AND FALCONS OF THE WORLD
  Brown, L. and D. Amadon. 1989. The Wellfleet Press, Secaucus, NJ. 945pg.
  Originally printed as a two-volume set in 1968, this single-bound edition was reprinted to make this standard reference more available. It is one of the most, if not the most, cited reference on birds of prey of the world. An excellent resource, especially if your interest in raptors goes beyond the North American continent.
   

• HAWKS, EAGLES AND FALCONS OF NORTH AMERICA
  Johnsgard, P.A. 1990. . Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. 403pg.
  This is an excellent reference to the biology of North American raptors. It contains some of the most concise, accurate, and detailed descriptions on numerous aspects of raptor biology.
   

• THE WIND MASTERS
  Dunne, P., 1995. 263pg.
  Not a book about falconry, but written by one of the premier bird watchers in North America, this books gives us a glimpse into the inner workings of our raptor's minds.
   

• HAWKS IN THE HAND (2nd edition)
  Craighead, F. & J. 1997. Lyons and Burford Co., New York, NY. 352pg.
  Originally published in 1939, this highly readable book spins a web of birds, dogs and people that has entrapped and entertained falconers and falconer "wanna-be’s" over the decades since if first was published. It remains entertaining and applicable today.
  
   

Raptor Identification

These three books are intended for the identification of birds of prey, mostly in the field. Dunne et al. describes how to tell raptors apart as they soar lazily overhead or from snatched glimpses as they fly away. The first Clark and Wheeler book is your basic Peterson field guide, which obviously is dedicated to diurnal raptors. The second book adds the depth of color to the first.

• HAWKS IN FLIGHT
  Dunne, P., D. Sibley, and C. Sutton. 1988. . Houghton-Mifflin, Boston, MA. 254pg.

• GUIDE TO THE HAWKS OF NORTH AMERICA
  Clark, W.S. and B.K. Wheeler. 1987. Houghton-Mifflin, Boston, MA. 198pg.

• A PHOTOGRAPHIC GUIDE TO NORTH AMERICAN RAPTORS
  Wheeler, B.K., and W. S. Clark. 1996. (2nd edition). Academic Press. 216pg.

Medical Texts

• MEDICAL MANAGEMENT OF CAPTIVE BIRDS OF PREY
  Redig, P.T. 1993. (2nd edition). The Raptor Center, St. Paul, MN. 184pg.
  The essential medical manual for beginners, with a special chapter on the care and maintenance of falconry hawks.
   

• VETERINARY ASPECTS OF CAPTIVE BIRDS OF PREY
  Cooper, J.E. 1978. The Standfast Press, Gloucestershire, U.K. 256+pg.
  This is an excellent book on raptor diseases and injuries. It is quite technical in nature, but is a good one for the bookshelf.
   

• RAPTOR BIOMEDICINE
  Redig, P.T., J.E. Cooper, D. Remple, and B. Hunter. 1993. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, MN. 288pg.
  This is an excellent but highly technical veterinary manual on birds of prey. A bit advanced for beginners, but an excellent reference.