As part its review of ‘wild take’ licensing, a practice involving the taking of birds of prey from the wild for use in falconry and aviculture, Natural England commissioned a literature review by the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology. The review examines texts published by falconers and aviculturists which were available through Web of Science, Google Scholar, and a selection of libraries and archives. It focuses on the traditions and practices of falconry, within a European context, with emphasis on the integral cultural components of falconry including the role of wild take as defined by the literature. This review also examines the importance of genetic identity (species integrity and/or provenance) to British falconry.
Following the passage of the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 act, some authors express dissatisfaction at being unable to take wild native hawks for use in falconry and aviculture. However, many accept that the subsequent development of captive breeding techniques means supplies of captive-bred hawks are now sufficient to meet the needs of modern British falconers. The reviewed literature indicates that captive-bred hawks are considered to perform to a high level of satisfaction. Most dissatisfaction with captive-bred hawks appears to stem from aesthetic and sporting grounds. The question of genetic identity and its importance to British falconry appears to be unresolved in the literature.
The evidence from this report has been combined with other evidence gathered for the review, to inform Natural England’s advice to Defra on the future of wild take licensing in England.