Hawking with Golden Eagles paints a vivid picture of the eagle experience and takes the reader into the skies on a hunt for quarry. Based on practical field experience, this breakthrough book gives a full account of training and hunting procedures, and takes a close look at the quarries a golden eagle can currently be flown to. Full of breathtaking photographs and insightful description, the book is sure to be enjoyed by anyone wishing to explore the eagle's role within falconry throughout the centuries. My purpose in writing this small book is to try to give an insight into hawking with golden eagles. These raptors have frequently been described in less-than-glowing terms and their value as modern day falconry birds questioned. This book will attempt to paint a more positive picture. Naturally, when flown under unsuitable conditions and handled by inexperienced falconers, golden eagles will give a poor account of themselves. But, if trained and flown correctly, these eagles can be employed very effectively by the contemporary falconer and provide him with a unique hawking experience. My own understanding and appreciation of the golden eagle owes little to my early British falconry background. Far more influential have been my central European experiences. I have spent a good deal of time living and hawking on the Continent. There, my involvement with three large falconry center has resulted in me being presented with opportunities seldom afforded the private individual; and, with Germany or Austria serving as a base, I have traveled widely and hunted with golden eagles in many different parts of Europe. In writing this book, I have assumed that those interested in hawking with golden eagles will already have a background of experience with birds such as goshawks, Harris' hawks, or red-tailed hawks. Let me stress that a golden eagle is definitely no bird for a novice falconer. With this in mind, I deemed it unnecessary to cover very basic falconry topics in any detail. Comments on the more rudimentary aspect of the sport have been restricted to where I feel they are truly required. I have written very much with the practicing falconer in mind. However, I have also tried to produce a text that will be found readable and informative by those perhaps not directly involved in practical falconry, but who have an interest in some related topic. It is hoped that this book will be of value to anyone keen to discover just what these magnificent birds are capable of as trained hunting allies.

Healer of Angels is a heartwarming collection of true stories of a young boy overcoming life's challenges and disabilities with the guidance of wise grandparents and other mentors. This process leads to a life dedicated to the rescue, healing and release of the wild creatures of the desert southwest. Some of the stories are humorous and some bittersweet, but each will inspire, teaching a lesson as it touches the readers' heart. Join Mr. Tyner as he reflects back on his life: from a young boy terrified of birds to becoming the first man in North America licensed to train a wild golden eagle in the ancient art of falconry; from a shy dyslectic teenager, to the founder and CEO of the Southwest Wildlife Foundation. Martin Tyner is one of America's foremost wildlife rehabilitators, a master falconer, eagle falconer, and wildlife and environmental educator. He travels throughout the west providing wildlife programs accompanied by his devoted companion, Scout, a wild golden eagle.

"This extensive work represents a nuts-and-bolts approach to training and flying kestrels...A must-have for all apprentices and others who wish to know more about the intricacies of maintaining and flying a small raptor such as the American Kestrel." --Publisher's description.

This research project focuses on contemporary eagle-taming falconry practice of the Altaic Kazakhs animal herding society in Bayan Ulgii Province in Western Mongolia. It aims to contributing both theoretical and empirical criteria for cultural preservation of Asian falconry. This cultural as well as environmental discourse is illustrated with concentrated field research framed by ecological anthropology and ethno-ornithology from the viewpoint of “Human-Animal Interaction (HAI)” and “Human-Animal Behavior (HAB)”. Part I (Chapter 2 & 3) explores ethno-archaeological and ethno-ornithological dimensions by interpretive research of archaeological artefacts which trace the historical depth of Asian falconry culture. Part II (Chapter 4 & 5) provides an extensive ethnographic narrative of Altaic Kazakh falconry, which is the central part of this research project. The “Traditional Art and Knowledge (TAK)” in human-raptor interactions, comprising the entire cycle of capture, perch, feeding, training, hunting, and release, is presented with specific emphasis on its relation to environmental and societal context. Traditional falconry as integral part of a nomadic lifestyle has to face some critical problems nowadays which necessitate preventing the complete disappearance of this outstanding indigenous cultural heritage. Part III (Chapter 6 & 7) thus focuses on the cultural sustainability of Altaic Kazakh falconry. Changing livelihoods, sedentarisation, and decontextualisation are identified as major threats. The role of Golden Eagle Festivals is critically analysed with regard to positive and negative impact. This part also intends to contribute to the academic definition of eagle falconry as an intangible cultural heritage, and to provide scientific criteria for a preservation master plan, as well as stipulate local resilience by pointing to successive actions needed for conservation. This research project concludes that cultural sustainability of Altaic Kazakh falconry needs to be supported from the angles of three theoretical frameworks; (1) Cultural affairs for protection based on the concept of nature-guardianship in its cultural domain, (2) Sustainable development and improvement of animal herding productivity and herder’s livelihood, (3) Natural resource management, especially supporting the population of Golden Eagles, their potential prey animals, and their nesting environment.