A CRASH course for budding falconers was the highlight of a series of heritage workshops being run by the Southern Governorate at its premises in Awali.
Young Bahrainis handled the raptors and were briefed on the various equipment used in the traditional sport of falconry.
The workshops, under the patronage of Southern Governor Shaikh Khalifa bin Ali Al Khalifa, are aimed at teaching the youth about Bahraini heritage such as falconry, hospitality ethics and desert plants, among other things.
Falcon owners Abdulrahman Al Merri and Abdulrahman Al Badri yesterday walked the young boys through the various aids used for handling the birds of prey, such as gloves, perches, swivels and hoods.
They also briefed participants about swing lures – which are made from the wings of game birds and used in the training of falcons – in addition to defining the features of falcons and necessary practices for their care and protection.
Falcons are regarded as precious birds and are in great demand in the region, with falconry designated as a national sport in the Arabian Peninsula.
“These lessons are essential to ensure our heritage and identity are passed down through the generations just as we inherited them from our forefathers,” Mr Al Badri told the GDN.
“We teach young Bahrainis how to carry and feed a falcon as well as the proper method of ensuring the bird is securely tied to the perch in addition to placing a hood on its eyes.
“Proper spacing and adequate knots on the rope are essential to ensure that if the bird does take flight while tied it doesn’t crash into anything damaging its wings or injuring itself.”
Mr Al Badri pointed out that when falcons flap their wings while being held by their handlers, the handler has to lift the bird high enough to ensure its wings remain safe during flapping.
During the moulting season – which lasts three to four months – falcons are kept isolated and untouched as new feathers are soft and can be easily damaged.
“During moulting, they shed the longer feathers first and the last feather to grow back is the last feather that’s shed; we don’t carry the falcon at all until all feathers are fully grown back,” added Mr Al Merri.
“Training falcons takes time and patience as handlers spend a long time gaining the trust of the bird. You can tell a falcon’s age through the feathers – which change colour as they grow older – and the colour of its feet.
“The falcons are part of our heritage and identity; there were no guns or cars in the past so these birds were the weapons used by our forefathers for hunting and to sustain their livelihood.
“Falcons are life companions and some owners hold their birds so close to their hearts – as dear as their own children – and if the falcon falls ill so will its owner due to the strong bond they share.”
The Southern Governorate Heritage Programme continues on Sunday with a workshop about traditional attire, followed by a workshop about hospitality ethics on August 17, and an introduction to desert plants on August 20.
reem@gdnmedia.bh
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