OCT 31, 2017

The Bond Between a Falcon and its Falconer

WRITTEN BY: Anthony Bouchard


A plethora of animals that can be trained to do extraordinary things and falcons are no different. Falconer Bill Ponder is proud of the birds he teaches at the circus, and from his training, they learn majestic stunts.

Despite the negative connotation that comes with circus animals, Ponder assures us all that his falcon gets the fairest treatment possible. Not only does he feed his falcon nutritious treats, but he gives it plenty of free-roaming space to fly at high rates of speed.

All that good food and exercise is excellent for the falcon. In addition to getting all the nutrition it needs with each serving, the bird also needs to fly regularly to maintain its health. That said, the bond between a falcon and a falconer is self-explanatory.

As Ponder puts it, the birds catch on quickly when he trains them, especially when they repeat the same stunts every day. Because he's "the guy with the food," his falcon trusts him and follows his signal.