Practical Bird-Keeping .— V. Hawks and Owls. 277


at, therefore, that the birds of prey at most Zoological Gardens

become dull, listless and apathetic, often ‘hanging’ in their

moult and generally with broken wings and tail. Yet such are

the facts.


We have already pointed out that, in a wild state, Hawks

spend much of their time sitting in some fairly sheltered place

till the need of seeking a fresh meal puts them on the move, and

in captivity we must as far as possible try to imitate these con¬

ditions. In the first place, the aviary must be in a sheltered

spot; it is quite useless to have an open flight with an elaborated

devised house, as but few Hawks will enter the shelter of their

own accord, and, moreover, being of a rather wild disposition

there is a great tendency for them to break their flights and tail,

and also to damage themselves if kept entirely in an open flight.

The ideal aviary is one which is only open in the front and

boarded at the sides, top and back. It should be provided with

two perches placed end on to the observer at a moderate height

from the ground and a fair distance apart, so that the bird must

use his wings to get from one to the other. If the aspect is in

any way open to cold or wet winds there should be a flap about

three feet wide hinged on to the front of the roof. In ordinary

weather this should be raised, but in cold and wet weather, or if

it be very hot, it can be lowered to serve as a shelter and retreat.

A further perch should be placed fairly high up against the

back as a roosting-perch, and should only be large enough to

accommodate one bird at a time. This perch must be arranged

sufficiently high up so that the bird when on it may have the

advantage of the shelter given by the flap when lowered. The

ground of the aviary should be covered with coarse sand and

gravel. In such an aviary almost any species—except some of the

smaller and more delicate species—may be kept in all weathers.


Now as to food. No bird of prey should be given more

than he can finish at a meal, and any food left untouched an

hour after feeding time should be removed. This, of course,

does not apply to freshly-caught or very wild individuals. Once

a day for six days a week is as often as they should be fed, and

the best time is about two o’clock in the afternoon. By this

method the bird will have his dinner, rest, and then retire to



