Falconry Vocabulary in English
20 essential falconry words with definitions and example sentences — hawks, hoods, and hunting for B1–B2 ESL learners.
Pedagogically reviewed by LexFizz Team
Falconry vocabulary describes one of the oldest field sports in the world: training a bird of prey to hunt in partnership with a human handler. Words such as jesses, mews, and lure carry precise technical meanings, unfamiliar to most general English speakers, that every falconer must learn before flying a bird. Imagine a falconer slipping the hood from a raptor moments before it grips the quarry firmly in its talons — this is exactly the vocabulary described in countryside conservation programmes.
This page covers 20 key falconry words used to describe the birds, the equipment, and the training process. These terms appear in falconry clubs, nature documentaries, and countryside conservation programmes across the English-speaking world. You can check the full entry for any of these terms in the Cambridge Dictionary.
Unlike our broader Animals vocabulary and Wildlife Conservation vocabulary pages, this list focuses specifically on the practical language of handling and training raptors. Mastering this vocabulary will help you follow falconry demonstrations, read about the sport, and talk confidently with falconers.
Essential Falconry Words
| Word | Meaning | Example Sentence | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| falconer | a person who trains and flies a bird of prey, usually a hawk or falcon, for hunting or display | The falconer walked across the field with a hooded hawk perched calmly on her glove. | B1 |
| raptor | the general scientific term for a bird of prey, including hawks, falcons, and eagles | Falconry is the ancient art of hunting wild quarry with a trained raptor. | B1 |
| talons | the sharp, curved claws a bird of prey uses to grip and kill its prey | The hawk's talons closed around the lure the instant it landed. | B1 |
| jesses | short leather straps fastened around a bird's legs, used to hold and control it safely | The falconer clipped a leash to the jesses before letting the bird step onto the glove. | B1 |
| hood | a small leather cap placed over a bird's head and eyes to keep it calm | Once hooded, the falcon sat quietly, unbothered by the noise of the crowd. | B1 |
| mews | the building or enclosure where falconry birds are housed and cared for | Each bird has its own perch inside the mews, sheltered from wind and rain. | B1 |
| lure | a padded object, often shaped like prey, swung on a line to call a bird back to the handler | She spun the lure through the air, and the falcon dived straight towards it. | B2 |
| quarry | the wild animal or bird that a trained hawk or falcon is flown to hunt | Rabbits are common quarry for hawks trained for ground hunting. | B1 |
| mantling | the action of a bird spreading its wings over food or prey to hide it from other animals | The hawk began mantling over its catch as soon as it touched the ground. | B2 |
| bating | when a bird jumps or flies off the glove in fear or excitement, held back by its jesses | The young hawk was still bating occasionally, a sign it was not yet fully settled. | B2 |
| tiercel | a male falcon, which is typically smaller than the female of the same species | Because tiercels are smaller, they are usually flown at lighter, faster quarry. | B2 |
| gauntlet | the thick leather glove worn on the falconer's arm to protect it from a bird's talons | A well-fitted gauntlet lets the falconer feel the bird's grip without being hurt. | B1 |
| creance | a long, lightweight training line attached to a bird during early flying lessons | The trainer let out the creance slowly as the hawk flew short distances to the fist. | B2 |
| eyass | a young hawk taken from the nest and raised by humans before it can fly | An eyass is usually easier to train than a wild-caught adult because it imprints on people early. | B2 |
| haggard | a wild adult hawk caught for training after it has already moulted at least once in the wild | Haggards can be excellent hunters, but they are generally harder to train than younger birds. | C1 |
| fledge | to grow the flight feathers needed to leave the nest and fly | The chicks fledge at about six weeks old and begin short test flights. | B1 |
| weathering | the practice of letting a falconry bird sit outside in the fresh air and daylight each day | Weathering the bird every morning keeps it healthy and used to human activity. | B2 |
| imping | a repair technique in which a broken feather is replaced with a matching feather fixed into the stub | Imping a damaged feather can restore a bird's flying ability within days. | B2 |
| cadge | a portable frame with perches, carried out to the hunting field to hold several birds at once | The apprentice carried the cadge so several hawks could be transported together. | B2 |
| rouse | to shake out and fluff up the feathers, usually a sign that a bird is calm and content | A contented hawk will often rouse and preen after a successful flight. | B2 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is falconry?
Falconry is the traditional practice of training a bird of prey, such as a hawk or falcon, to hunt wild quarry in partnership with a human handler. The falconer flies the bird from the gauntlet, often calling it back with a lure. It is one of the oldest field sports in the world and today is practised both for hunting and for conservation and education.
What are jesses and why are they used?
Jesses are short leather straps fastened around a bird's legs, allowing the falconer to attach a leash and hold the bird safely on the gauntlet. Without jesses, a powerful hawk or falcon could not be controlled by hand. They are removed or replaced carefully so they never restrict the bird's normal movement.
Why do falconers put a hood on a bird?
A hood is a small leather cap that covers a bird's head and eyes, blocking its vision. Because birds of prey react strongly to what they see, hooding calms them in noisy or unfamiliar situations, such as travel or public demonstrations. A well-fitted hood is removed the moment the bird is ready to fly.
What is the difference between an eyass and a haggard?
An eyass is a young hawk taken from the nest and raised by people before it can fly, so it becomes used to humans from an early age. A haggard is a wild adult bird caught after it has already moulted at least once, meaning it has hunted successfully on its own. Haggards are often skilled hunters but generally take longer to train.
What does mantling mean?
Mantling is when a bird spreads its wings and body over food or prey, hiding it from other animals or birds nearby. It is an instinctive protective behaviour seen in the wild as well as in trained birds. Falconers learn to approach a mantling bird calmly, without startling it.
What is a lure used for in falconry?
A lure is a padded object, often shaped like prey, swung on a line to call a trained hawk or falcon back to the falconer. Swinging the lure and offering a small reward teaches the bird to return reliably instead of flying off after real quarry. It is one of the most important training tools in falconry.
What does bating mean?
Bating describes a bird jumping or attempting to fly off the glove in fear, excitement, or frustration, while still held by its jesses. It is common with young or newly trained birds and usually decreases as the bird becomes calmer and more confident around people.
What is imping and why is it necessary?
Imping is a repair technique in which a broken flight feather is replaced by fixing a matching feather into the broken stub. Because damaged feathers can seriously affect a bird's ability to fly and hunt, imping allows a falconer to restore flight quickly rather than waiting months for a natural moult.
Is falconry vocabulary useful for English learners?
Yes, particularly for learners interested in nature, wildlife, or traditional countryside pursuits. Falconry vocabulary appears in nature documentaries, heritage tourism, and UNESCO cultural heritage material, since falconry is recognised as an intangible cultural heritage practice in many countries. Words such as raptor, quarry, and mews also appear more broadly in writing about birds and hunting.
Which falconry words should I learn first?
Begin with the core roles and equipment: falconer, raptor, talons, hood, gauntlet, and jesses. Once these feel natural, move on to training and behaviour terms such as lure, quarry, mantling, and bating, which describe how a bird is trained and how it behaves in the field.