During the hunting season, how often should your new Red-tailed Hawk be weighed?

Weighing your new Red-tailed Hawk once a day is crucial for monitoring its health and ensuring proper conditioning. Daily weight measurements provide insight into the hawk's physical condition and can help you adjust its feeding schedule and hunting techniques as needed. Birds of prey have varying daily weight fluctuations, influenced by factors such as metabolism, activity levels, and feeding.

By checking the weight each day, handlers can identify any drastic changes that could indicate health issues or improper feeding. This also allows for fine-tuning how much food the hawk should receive based on its activity on that particular day, especially during the hunting season when physical demands increase. Regular monitoring fosters a better understanding of the bird's specific needs and helps maintain optimal hunting performance.

Other frequencies, such as weekly or only when going hawking, do not provide the necessary attention to detail needed for the health of the hawk during the active hunting season. Relying on visual observation, like determining if the bird seems fat, is too subjective and can result in missed opportunities to correct potential issues before they become serious.