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Complete Falconry Equipment Checklist

Starting falconry means assembling a specialized set of equipment before you ever possess a bird. This comprehensive checklist covers every item you need, organized by category, with estimated costs and explanations of why each piece matters.

Falconry Furniture (Bird Equipment)

Falconry furniture refers to the equipment attached to or worn by the bird. These are the items you will use every single day, so quality matters. Poorly made furniture can injure your hawk or cause a lost bird.

Item	Purpose	Est. Cost
Anklets	Leather straps permanently fitted around the bird’s legs. Grommeted anklets (Aylmeri style) are the modern standard, allowing quick jess changes without re-tying.	$15–$35
Jesses	Leather straps that thread through the anklet grommets. You need two sets: mews jesses (short, no slits) for the perch and field jesses (longer, with slits) for handling. Never fly a bird on slitted jesses—they snag on branches.	$10–$25/pair
Swivel	A rotating metal connector between jesses and leash that prevents tangling. Sampo ball-bearing swivels are the industry standard.	$8–$20
Leash	Braided or flat leather strap that tethers the bird to the perch via the swivel. Must be strong enough to hold a bating hawk but thin enough not to tangle.	$10–$25
Bewits	Small leather straps used to attach bells to the bird’s legs. Tied with a special knot that stays secure but can be removed.	$5–$10
Bells	Attached to the legs (and sometimes the tail deck) to help locate the bird in cover. Lahore-style brass bells are traditional; acorn bells are louder. Buy from a falconry supplier—craft bells are too quiet.	$12–$40/pair
Tail mount & bell	A small bell mounted on the central tail feathers using a leather or cable-tie mount. Provides an audible signal when the bird takes flight or lands in thick cover.	$10–$25

Housing & Perching

Federal regulations require an approved enclosure (mews) before you can obtain a falconry permit. Your mews must pass a state inspection, and the bird needs appropriate perching inside and in a weathering area.

Item	Purpose	Est. Cost
Mews (enclosure)	Indoor housing that meets federal minimums: at least 8′ × 8′ floor area with a ceiling high enough for the bird to fly without hitting it. Must have a perch, ventilation, and protection from weather and predators.	$500–$5,000
Indoor perch	Bow perch for buteos (Red-tails, Harris’s), block perch for falcons. The perch must be padded with AstroTurf, leather, or cord to prevent foot problems (bumblefoot).	$40–$120
Outdoor/weathering perch	A second perch in a weathering yard so the bird can sun and bathe outdoors. The weathering area must be enclosed or the bird tethered.	$40–$120
Bath pan	A shallow pan (large enough for the bird to stand in) for bathing. Raptors need regular access to water for bathing and feather maintenance.	$10–$30
Perch padding material	AstroTurf, sisal rope, or leather wrap for perch surfaces. Bare wood or metal perches cause pressure sores and bumblefoot.	$10–$25

Training & Hunting Gear

Training equipment is used during manning (taming), conditioning, and active hunting. A well-stocked training kit saves time and keeps your bird safe in the field.

Item	Purpose	Est. Cost
Falconry glove	A thick leather gauntlet worn on your fist. Protects your hand from talons. Right-handed falconers typically use a left-hand glove so the dominant hand stays free. Must be long enough to protect your wrist and forearm.	$40–$150
Lure	A weighted training device swung on a cord to recall the bird. Longwing falcons use a wing-style lure; buteos and accipiters usually respond better to a rabbit-fur lure or garnished leather pad.	$15–$45
Lure line	A strong cord (usually 15–30 feet) attached to the lure. Must be free of knots that could tangle in brush.	$5–$15
Creance (training line)	A lightweight 50–100 foot line attached to the jesses during early training before the bird is flown free. Allows controlled distance recalls.	$10–$20
Hawking vest or bag	A multi-pocket vest or belt pouch for carrying food, lure, spare equipment, and caught game while hunting. Purpose-built falconry vests have specific compartments for quarry and tidbits.	$50–$200
Hood	A leather cap placed over the bird’s head to calm it during transport and in stressful situations. Essential for longwing falcons; some buteo falconers use them as well. Must be properly sized to your species.	$30–$150
Whistle or voice recall	A consistent audible cue paired with food to train the bird to return. Many falconers use a specific whistle tone; others simply use their voice.	$0–$10

Health & Weight Management

Maintaining your bird at the correct flying weight is the single most important aspect of day-to-day falconry management. Accurate weighing, proper nutrition, and basic first-aid supplies are non-negotiable.

Item	Purpose	Est. Cost
Digital scale	A gram-accurate scale for daily weigh-ins. The scale must read to at least 1-gram resolution for small hawks and kestrels. Many falconers use a perch scale the bird stands on.	$30–$100
Weight journal / tracking app	A log to record daily weight, food given, weather, and hunting performance. Tracking weight trends over time is how you determine optimal flying weight.	$0–$15
Casting material	Fur, feather, or cotton that the bird swallows with its meal. The hawk compresses indigestible material into a pellet (cast) and regurgitates it, cleaning the crop. Casting is essential for digestive health.	$5–$15
First-aid kit	Styptic powder (for bleeding talons or beak), Vetericyn wound spray, hemostats, scissors, vet wrap, and your avian vet’s emergency number.	$25–$60
Imping supplies	Imping needles and epoxy for repairing broken flight feathers. A broken primary or tail feather can ground your bird for months—imping is a quick fix using a donor feather.	$10–$30
Freezer for food	A dedicated small chest freezer for storing quail, mice, chicks, and other raptor food. Keeping food separate from human food is both practical and hygienic.	$100–$250

Transport Equipment

You will transport your bird regularly—to hunting fields, the vet, and the weathering yard. Safe transport prevents injuries, stress, and escapes.

Item	Purpose	Est. Cost
Giant hood / transport box	An enclosed, ventilated box that keeps the bird in darkness during car travel. Darkness calms the hawk and prevents bating. Must be large enough for the bird to stand without touching the sides or top.	$50–$200
Vehicle perch	A portable perch that mounts to the vehicle seat or floor for short trips when hooding is not practical. Used more commonly with hooded longwings.	$30–$80
Telemetry transmitter	A small radio or GPS transmitter attached to the bird’s leg or tail. If the bird is lost, telemetry allows you to track and recover it. Considered essential by most experienced falconers.	$150–$600+
Telemetry receiver	A handheld receiver and antenna used to pick up the transmitter signal. VHF systems require a directional antenna; GPS systems may use a smartphone app.	$200–$500

Miscellaneous & Field Supplies

Item	Purpose	Est. Cost
Leather & tools for equipment making	Kangaroo or deer hide, a leather punch, grommets, and a grommet setter for making your own anklets, jesses, and bewits. Many falconers make their own furniture.	$30–$80
Falconry books	Study references for the state exam and ongoing education. Essential titles include The Apprentice Falconer (Oakes), North American Falconry & Hunting Hawks (Beebe & Webster), and your state’s study guide.	$20–$80
Trapping equipment	Bal-chatri trap, bow net, or dho-gazza net for legally trapping passage raptors. Your sponsor will teach you trapping technique—this is not something to attempt alone.	$20–$75
Game shears / knife	For dispatching caught quarry humanely and preparing food in the field. A sharp, lockable folding knife is a field essential.	$10–$40

Cost Summary

The table below summarizes total estimated costs by category. Actual costs vary significantly based on whether you buy or build, new or used, and what species you fly.

Category	Low Estimate	High Estimate
Falconry Furniture	$70	$180
Housing & Perching	$600	$5,295
Training & Hunting Gear	$150	$590
Health & Weight Management	$170	$470
Transport Equipment	$430	$1,380
Miscellaneous & Field	$80	$275
Total	$1,500	$8,190

Most apprentice falconers spend between $1,500 and $3,000 on equipment in their first year. Building your own mews and making your own furniture can keep costs at the lower end. Telemetry is the single biggest variable—a basic VHF setup runs $350–$500, while GPS systems can exceed $1,000.

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