Shakespeare and Hawks

 

From De Arte Venandi cum Avibus by Frederick II, Image by Wikipedia

I found an excellent blog post today, called Shakespeare and Hawking, on Shakespeare’s widespread use of birds as symbols, metaphors and for characterization. Shakespeare mentioned birds more than any other animal or object and his mentions of poetry point to the fact that he had a working knowledge of the sport.

 

Once strictly available to the noble class, falconry is now widely enjoyed by people from all levels of society around the world. In the United States, falconry is one of the most regulated of sports. Those interested in falconry will quickly discover the relatively high barriers to entry, including a challenging written examination and a two year apprenticeship, but if you are interested in nature, hunting, birds and the great outdoors, they are well-worth overcoming.

I encourage you to check out the link and discover more about how and why these magnificent birds of prey captured Shakespeare’s remarkable imagination.

 

 

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The Falconer’s Knot

The sport of falconry requires a unique skill set. With a bird on the glove you only have one free hand with which you must do everything else! One particular skill that comes in handy is the ability to tie – and untie – a knot with your free hand (typically your right).

The falconer’s knot is a knot specifically designed with these constraints in mind. It is easy to tie and untie and it secures the bird quite nicely to a perch or to the glove. If you’d like to learn the knot, grab a piece of rope or cord and follow the instructions in the video below.

Good luck!

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