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2025 FALCONRY TEST EXAM {QUESTION
BANK} ALL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS ALREADY A
GRADED|NEW AND REVISED
Which of the following terms does not fit with the others? a. talon b.
train c. tarsus d. hallux - ANSWER- b. train
Which factor is most important in determining what raptor any falconer
should fly? a. appropriateness of raptor housing b. availability of prey
suitable for that raptor c. proximity to other falconers flying similar
raptors d. none of the above - ANSWER- b. availability of prey suitable
for that raptor
The terms "passage," "imprint," and "chamber" describe... a. the legal
status of the falconer b. the nature of the mews area in which a raptor is
kept c. how the raptor was raised d. none of the above - ANSWER- c.
how the raptor was raised
All "raptors" includes species of the order or orders... a. Strigiformes b.
Falconiformes c. Accipitridae d. both a and b - ANSWER- d. both a & b,
The term "raptor" includes all hawks and owls. Accipitridae is the
largest family of hawks and eagles within the order Falconiformes, but it
is not an "order".
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Desertion of the nest by adult raptors is most likely to occur... a. just
prior to egg laying b. during late incubation c. during hatching d. just
prior to fledging - ANSWER- a. just prior to egg laying, Once the eggs
are laid, most raptors, though not all, are likely to stick with their clutch,
despite disturbances.
True or false: If the first clutch of eggs is destroyed soon after being laid,
many hawks and falcons will lay a second clutch. - ANSWER- True.
This tendency has been used by raptor propagators to maximize the
progeny of breeding pairs. The system is called "double clutching."
Caution: some raptors, if disturbed on eggs in the wild, will abandon
their nests and close down their reproductive systems for the season.
A falconer is most likely to encounter a "brancher" of a species of hawk
or falcon in... a. January b. March c. June d. October - ANSWER- c.
June, A brancher is a young hawk that has left the nest or eyrie, but has
not left the immediate vicinity. In New York, a falconer will most likely
encounter a brancher of the species of hawks or falcons used in falconry
in June. Great Horned Owls typically breed in January or February
(depending on geographical location), so branchers of this species would
be encountered earlier than June (February or March).
There is an observed trend of young avian predators (particularly
falcons), shortly after leaving the care of an adult, to begin taking quarry
considerably larger than is the norm for adults of the same species. This
is probably because... a. the youngsters are still growing and need more
food than adults b. the young birds are stronger and can out-compete
their elders for larger, more nutritious prey c. more skill is required to
catch a smaller bird d. all of the above - ANSWER- c. more skill is
required to catch a smaller bird, Certain principles of aerodynamics
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dictate that any bird lighter than a raptor that is chasing it can, if the
wing loading is even approximately the same, always turn inside the
turning radius of the larger, heavier bird. This factor operates very
powerfully for a few months, but as the raptor develops flying skill and
dexterity, smaller and less dangerous quarry are taken with increasing
frequency.
The bird most likely to breed naturally in captivity is... a. a passage bird
b. an imprint eyas c. a raptor (parent)-raised eyas d. all of the above -
ANSWER- c. a raptor (parent)-raied eyas, Raptor-raised eyases are the
most successful captive breeders. Captive bred raptors have produced
significant numbers of young in the United States.
Male and female hawks can be determined in most species by... a. the
faster speed of the females b. the faster speed of the males c. the larger
size of the females d. the larger size of the males - ANSWER- c. the
larger size of the females, In most species the coloration of the sexes is
similar. Speeds probably don't differ between the sexes, but especially in
the bird-eating species, there is a great difference in the size between
males and females. Males of some species are one-third smaller than the
females.
Falconiforms in immature plumage appear to be... a. smaller than when
they become adults b. larger than when they become adults c. the same
size as when they become adults d. larger or smaller than the adults,
depending on how well they were fed as nestlings and on how successful
they were as hunters after leaving the nest - ANSWER- b. larger than
when they become adults, The juvenile flight feathers tend to be longer
than the adult feathers to compensate for the less developed muscles and
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less ossified bones. This may give immature birds the appearance of
being larger.
In Buteo, Parabuteo, and Accipiter, molting of the primary wing
feathers... a. starts with the inner most primary (ornithologically number
1) and proceeds in sequence to the outermost primary (ornithologically
number 10) b. starts with the number 10 and proceeds inwards to
number 1 c. starts with the primary number 4 and proceeds in both
directions d. proceeds in an irregular fashion but is the same sequence on
each wing - ANSWER- Ans. a The correct answer for the genus Falco
would be c. Caution: The critical word here is "ornithologically."
Historically, falconers counted primaries just the opposite. What is
ornithologically number 1 is, to some falconers, number 10. However,
most modern falconry literature counts according to the ornithological
method
Haggards (adults) are not taken for falconry because... a. they may be
too old and might die soon b. they are too difficult to train c. they are
nature's breeding stock and should be allowed to function as such d. they
will only take the prey species they have specialized to catch in the wild
- ANSWER- Ans. c Young birds of prey have more than a 70%
mortality rate before they reach breeding age. The consensus of
falconers and regulators in the United States is that those birds that have
survived to adulthood should be allowed to remain in the wild as part of
the breeding population
True or false: Hawks and falcons hunt by sight and hearing; their sense
of smell is not well developed. - ANSWER- Ans. True
2025 FALCONRY TEST EXAM {QUESTION
BANK} ALL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS ALREADY A
GRADED|NEW AND REVISED
Which of the following terms does not fit with the others? a. talon b.
train c. tarsus d. hallux - ANSWER- b. train
Which factor is most important in determining what raptor any falconer
should fly? a. appropriateness of raptor housing b. availability of prey
suitable for that raptor c. proximity to other falconers flying similar
raptors d. none of the above - ANSWER- b. availability of prey suitable
for that raptor
The terms "passage," "imprint," and "chamber" describe... a. the legal
status of the falconer b. the nature of the mews area in which a raptor is
kept c. how the raptor was raised d. none of the above - ANSWER- c.
how the raptor was raised
All "raptors" includes species of the order or orders... a. Strigiformes b.
Falconiformes c. Accipitridae d. both a and b - ANSWER- d. both a & b,
The term "raptor" includes all hawks and owls. Accipitridae is the
largest family of hawks and eagles within the order Falconiformes, but it
is not an "order".
,2|Page
Desertion of the nest by adult raptors is most likely to occur... a. just
prior to egg laying b. during late incubation c. during hatching d. just
prior to fledging - ANSWER- a. just prior to egg laying, Once the eggs
are laid, most raptors, though not all, are likely to stick with their clutch,
despite disturbances.
True or false: If the first clutch of eggs is destroyed soon after being laid,
many hawks and falcons will lay a second clutch. - ANSWER- True.
This tendency has been used by raptor propagators to maximize the
progeny of breeding pairs. The system is called "double clutching."
Caution: some raptors, if disturbed on eggs in the wild, will abandon
their nests and close down their reproductive systems for the season.
A falconer is most likely to encounter a "brancher" of a species of hawk
or falcon in... a. January b. March c. June d. October - ANSWER- c.
June, A brancher is a young hawk that has left the nest or eyrie, but has
not left the immediate vicinity. In New York, a falconer will most likely
encounter a brancher of the species of hawks or falcons used in falconry
in June. Great Horned Owls typically breed in January or February
(depending on geographical location), so branchers of this species would
be encountered earlier than June (February or March).
There is an observed trend of young avian predators (particularly
falcons), shortly after leaving the care of an adult, to begin taking quarry
considerably larger than is the norm for adults of the same species. This
is probably because... a. the youngsters are still growing and need more
food than adults b. the young birds are stronger and can out-compete
their elders for larger, more nutritious prey c. more skill is required to
catch a smaller bird d. all of the above - ANSWER- c. more skill is
required to catch a smaller bird, Certain principles of aerodynamics
,3|Page
dictate that any bird lighter than a raptor that is chasing it can, if the
wing loading is even approximately the same, always turn inside the
turning radius of the larger, heavier bird. This factor operates very
powerfully for a few months, but as the raptor develops flying skill and
dexterity, smaller and less dangerous quarry are taken with increasing
frequency.
The bird most likely to breed naturally in captivity is... a. a passage bird
b. an imprint eyas c. a raptor (parent)-raised eyas d. all of the above -
ANSWER- c. a raptor (parent)-raied eyas, Raptor-raised eyases are the
most successful captive breeders. Captive bred raptors have produced
significant numbers of young in the United States.
Male and female hawks can be determined in most species by... a. the
faster speed of the females b. the faster speed of the males c. the larger
size of the females d. the larger size of the males - ANSWER- c. the
larger size of the females, In most species the coloration of the sexes is
similar. Speeds probably don't differ between the sexes, but especially in
the bird-eating species, there is a great difference in the size between
males and females. Males of some species are one-third smaller than the
females.
Falconiforms in immature plumage appear to be... a. smaller than when
they become adults b. larger than when they become adults c. the same
size as when they become adults d. larger or smaller than the adults,
depending on how well they were fed as nestlings and on how successful
they were as hunters after leaving the nest - ANSWER- b. larger than
when they become adults, The juvenile flight feathers tend to be longer
than the adult feathers to compensate for the less developed muscles and
, 4|Page
less ossified bones. This may give immature birds the appearance of
being larger.
In Buteo, Parabuteo, and Accipiter, molting of the primary wing
feathers... a. starts with the inner most primary (ornithologically number
1) and proceeds in sequence to the outermost primary (ornithologically
number 10) b. starts with the number 10 and proceeds inwards to
number 1 c. starts with the primary number 4 and proceeds in both
directions d. proceeds in an irregular fashion but is the same sequence on
each wing - ANSWER- Ans. a The correct answer for the genus Falco
would be c. Caution: The critical word here is "ornithologically."
Historically, falconers counted primaries just the opposite. What is
ornithologically number 1 is, to some falconers, number 10. However,
most modern falconry literature counts according to the ornithological
method
Haggards (adults) are not taken for falconry because... a. they may be
too old and might die soon b. they are too difficult to train c. they are
nature's breeding stock and should be allowed to function as such d. they
will only take the prey species they have specialized to catch in the wild
- ANSWER- Ans. c Young birds of prey have more than a 70%
mortality rate before they reach breeding age. The consensus of
falconers and regulators in the United States is that those birds that have
survived to adulthood should be allowed to remain in the wild as part of
the breeding population
True or false: Hawks and falcons hunt by sight and hearing; their sense
of smell is not well developed. - ANSWER- Ans. True
