"Training a hawk is not a hobby; it's a life passion." ~ Mike Martone
According to Martone, the red tailed hawk is a bird of prey that breed in mostly North America, Alaska, and Canada. Simply said, they get their name from their tail. When first year hawks are born, they have a brown tail until they’ve matured. If a red tailed hawk bites, it will not leave humans in pain, but its claws will leave damage. Its talons will pierce right through skin, so trainers wear thick leather gloves. Female red tailed hawks are generally one-third larger than male hawks and tend to be more aggressive when protecting the nest.
While female hawks are more aggressive in the nest, male hawks are more aggressive in the woods. Red tailed hawks eat red meat which means their favorite snack is squirrel. They’re able to eat a squirrel’s head whole because their jaw unlocks to make the mouth wider.
Both the bird and the trainer go into the woods together to hunt. In order to get the bird to return from the trees, handlers carry a stuffed animal squirrel with red meat tied to it; the hawk flies to it immediately. “Throughout this training process the hawk and his advisor only grow respect for each other. They will never grow a ‘dog and person’ relationship because the hawk cannot develop feelings. Martone goes on to say, “If the trainer fails to produce enough gain for their hawk, then they will become independent and fly away.”
In order to collect all this knowledge, trainers get sponsors who eventually might take them on as an apprentice for two years. This can be a challenging commitment. “During the first year, the apprentice cannot replace the bird they are given for twelve months -- no matter the circumstance.” Martone continues, “Apprentices are never given baby hawks because as time goes on, the baby hawks become fearless and will attack their trainers. While some birds will not cooperate, others will be out with their advisors hunting within two to three weeks.”
Students and staff, alike, were eager to devote their attention to listening more about red tailed hawks. Devin Dittmer, Auto Tech junior (Laurel), recalls that “the hawk visit was great! It was very informative and helped us understand how they live in the wild.” He continues, “I now have a new respect for these birds!”
"It was a great experience to see the bird," states Joshua Stoner, Auto Tech junior (Laurel). "Now, I will really pay attention to them in the wild because of this presentation."
Senior Auto Tech student Elijah Seaburn (Union) shares Joshua's new interest: “I enjoyed the learning experience, and I’m inspired to, one day, get into falconry.”
Ryan Nych, English teacher and Conservation Club advisor, states “This topic really interests me; my father was into falconry and owned several hawks.”
The conservation club was happy to invite Mike Martone to present to the club, and in the future, they hope to bring in other special guests, friend and feathered, alike.
