What does falconry primarily ensure regarding raptors?

The primary focus of falconry is effective training. This is crucial because falconers must establish a strong bond with their raptors, teaching them to hunt and respond to commands. Proper training techniques allow the falconer to guide the bird’s behavior and ensure it can effectively locate and catch prey during hunting sessions. This relationship is built through consistent handling, reward-based systems, and socialization, which is essential for the bird to thrive in both the controlled environment of falconry and the wild.

In falconry, while health and conservation are significant considerations, the core practice revolves around training and developing the raptor’s skills and behaviors for successful hunting. Optimal health is important but is typically a byproduct of proper care and training. Safety in the wild pertains more to the overall management and care of raptors rather than the training aspect, and while conservation practices are vital, they do not capture the essence of falconry as effectively as the training aspect does.