Falcon training develops the bird's familiarity with handling, responses to training cues and preparation for the intended flying work. Manning, recall, creance work and free-flight preparation describe parts of that process, not a timetable that every bird follows.
Use the stages to understand what your instructor is assessing. The New York State Falconry Examination Manual provides background on training terminology and equipment, but an article cannot assess the bird standing in front of you.[1] Progress needs practical observation.
What does manning mean?
Manning means helping a bird become accustomed to the falconer and relevant surroundings. It is not a contest to make a bird tolerate as much disturbance as possible. Ask your instructor what they are observing and how they decide whether the situation should change.
Learn the difference between describing behaviour and interpreting it. “The bird moved away when I approached” records an event. “The bird is stubborn” supplies an explanation you may not have established. Specific observations give your instructor something useful to discuss.
Keep the surroundings in your notes. Who was present? What changed? What happened immediately before and afterwards? You do not need an elaborate essay. A short, factual account is more useful than a confident label that hides uncertainty.
What does recall teach?
Recall is the bird's response to a cue to return to the falconer or a training target. Ask the instructor to explain the cue, the intended response and the role of reinforcement before you practise. Consistency begins with understanding what you are trying to teach.
Describe the response in terms you can observe. Record where the bird started, what cue was given and what it did. A successful response under familiar conditions is evidence about that situation. It does not establish that every new location or distraction is already covered.
Avoid changing several things at once simply because a session went well. Bring proposed changes to the instructor. If the bird does something unexpected, note the circumstances and review the plan rather than improvising a more demanding exercise.
What is creance work for?
Creance work uses a training line during supervised flight practice before free flight. The line, attachment and space need to be appropriate for the bird and the exercise. A photograph cannot show all the checks that went into an arrangement.
Ask for a demonstration without rushing to imitate it. Have the instructor explain how they inspect the equipment, assess the surroundings and organise the people involved. Then practise under supervision when they judge it appropriate.
Keep this stage distinct from proof of free-flight readiness. The presence of a line changes the situation, and removing it is not merely the next numbered step. Our equipment guide introduces the vocabulary so that practical explanations are easier to follow.
How is free-flight readiness assessed?
Readiness is a practical judgement about the bird, the falconer, the place and the recovery plan. Do not use the number of training days as a substitute. No calendar entry can establish what a bird will do in the field.
| Area to discuss | Question for the instructor |
|---|---|
| Bird | What observations support progressing today? |
| Falconer | Which skills still need supervision? |
| Equipment | Has the actual setup been checked? |
| Location | What makes these surroundings suitable? |
| Recovery | Who will do what if the bird is not where expected? |
| Decision | What would make us postpone the flight? |
Learning to operate tracking equipment belongs before relying on it during a recovery. Read the telemetry basics, then practise with the actual system and its manual. Owning a transmitter and knowing how to use the receiver are separate achievements.
What belongs in a training record?
Record the exercise, circumstances, observations and agreed next action. Keep numbers with their context rather than turning one reading into a verdict. The flying-weight guide explains why the idea needs individual interpretation; it should not become a universal target for training.
A useful entry leaves room for uncertainty. You might record that the response differed from the previous session and that the instructor wants to review the surroundings. That is more informative than writing “failed” without explaining what happened.
Raptor Awards describes learning that combines theory with practical assessment.[2] Use that distinction in your own notes: reading about a skill is preparation, while demonstrating it under observation is a different task. Mark which you have actually done.
Falconry Scale's record-keeping features can help organise weigh-ins and activity records. Keep your instructor's practical assessment alongside the observations that informed it. If the next action is unclear, ask for an explanation before trying to advance the session yourself.
Questions falconers ask
How long does training a falcon take?
There is no reliable calendar that makes every falcon ready for the next stage. The bird, its history, the environment and the falconer all affect progression. Discuss observable readiness with an experienced instructor, keep records and revisit earlier work when necessary. Reaching a date in a plan is not evidence of readiness.
What is a creance?
A creance is a training line used during supervised flight work before free flight. Its use involves more than attaching a cord and calling a bird. Ask an instructor to demonstrate appropriate equipment, attachment and space for the individual bird, and to supervise practice rather than copying a rigging arrangement from a photograph.
Does a good recall mean my bird is ready for free flight?
A successful recall is useful evidence, but it cannot establish free-flight readiness by itself. Your instructor also needs to consider the bird, equipment, location and recovery preparation. A response in familiar surroundings does not demonstrate what will happen elsewhere. Treat readiness as a joint practical assessment, rather than a passed online checklist.
Sources
- [1]New York State Falconry Examination Manual, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 2013 (accessed 2026-11-04)
- [2]Beginning with Birds of Prey and Owls FAQs, Raptor Awards (accessed 2026-11-04)
