What is a Creance?

A creance is simply a long, light line (typically 50-100 feet) attached to the bird’s jesses. It allows the bird to fly freely while giving you a way to recover it if things go wrong.

Think of it like teaching a child to ride a bike with training wheels—eventually they come off, but first you need to build skills and confidence safely.

The Goal

By the end of creance training, your bird should fly eagerly to the fist from any reasonable distance, in any direction, without hesitation. When you achieve this consistently, you’re ready to fly free.

El entrenamiento con fiador se basa en el condicionamiento operante—el ave aprende que volar al puño produce una recompensa de comida. Cada llamada exitosa fortalece esta asociación, creando un patrón conductual confiable. El aumento gradual de distancia es crítico porque permite al ave desarrollar músculos de vuelo y capacidad aeróbica mientras simultáneamente refuerza la respuesta de llamada a niveles crecientes de dificultad. El fiador en sí cumple un doble propósito: previene la pérdida durante la fase de aprendizaje y da al cetrero confianza para trabajar a distancias donde el ave debe volar en lugar de saltar, lo cual es esencial para desarrollar una mecánica de vuelo adecuada.

Prerequisites

Before starting creance work, your bird should:

Be well-manned: Comfortable on the fist, eating readily
Jump to the fist: Reliably hop from perch to glove for food
Be at flying weight: Keen but not starved
Recognize the food call: Respond to your whistle or call

Equipment Needed

Creance line: 50-100 feet of light cord (braided nylon works well)
Creance swivel: Prevents line tangling
Stake or anchor: To secure the line (or a helper)
T-perch or bow perch: Starting point for the bird
Garnished glove: Food visible on the fist
Open field: Clear of obstacles and distractions

Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Short Jumps (1-3 feet)

Start absurdly close. The bird should barely need to open its wings.

Place bird on perch, stand one step away
Present garnished fist at bird’s chest height
Use your food call
Bird should hop immediately
Reward and repeat 3-5 times

Step 2: Increasing Distance (5-15 feet)

Once the bird hops eagerly, add distance gradually.

Increase by 2-3 feet per session, not per attempt
Bird should now be flying, not just hopping
Watch for hesitation—if the bird won’t come, you’ve moved too fast
End each session on a success

Step 3: Full Creance Length (50-100 feet)

The bird should fly strongly to the fist from the full length of the creance.

Multiple successful flights at distance before progressing
Vary your position—don’t always stand in the same spot
Try calling from different directions
Introduce mild distractions (another person present, etc.)

The 10-10-10 Rule

Many falconers use this guideline: before flying free, the bird should come instantly (within 10 seconds) from at least 100 feet, 10 times in a row, on 10 different days. Consistency matters more than single successes.

Common Problems

Bird Won’t Come

Cause: Weight too high, distance increased too fast, or poor manning.

Fix: Go back to shorter distances. Reduce weight slightly (carefully). Make sure the bird is actually hungry.

Bird Flies Past You

Cause: Bird is more interested in something behind you than the food.

Fix: Choose a different location. Position yourself so nothing interesting is behind you. Check for prey animals in the area.

Bird Lands Short

Cause: Lack of confidence, or line is creating drag.

Fix: Make sure creance isn’t dragging on ground. Use a lighter line. Practice more at shorter distances.

Bird Bates Off Perch

Cause: Startled, or trying to get to you before you call.

Fix: Don’t reward this behavior—return bird to perch. Be more predictable in your routine. Work on patience.

Safety Considerations

Critical Safety Rules

Secure the line: Always anchor or hold the creance. A bird dragging 50 feet of line can get tangled and injured.
Clear the area: No trees, fences, or obstacles where the line could snag.
Check equipment: Inspect the creance, swivel, and attachment before every session.
Never wrap line around hand: If the bird takes off hard, you could lose fingers.
Weather awareness: Wind can make creance work difficult and dangerous.

Si tu ave aterriza consistentemente antes de llegar al puño, verifica que el fiador no esté arrastrándose sobre pasto alto o suelo irregular creando resistencia. Cambia a una línea más ligera o asegúrate de que se deslice suavemente desde un carrete. Si el ave viene a ti pero inmediatamente intenta irse con la comida, tu amansamiento puede estar incompleto—regresa a sesiones de alimentación en el puño. Un ave que viene con entusiasmo un día pero se niega al siguiente probablemente tiene un problema de manejo de peso; revisa tus registros en busca de inconsistencias. El viento puede afectar dramáticamente el trabajo con fiador, así que entrena en mañanas tranquilas. Si los problemas persisten más de una semana, consulta a tu sponsor antes de continuar.

When to Fly Free

The decision to remove the creance is one of the most important in falconry. Fly free too soon and you may lose your bird. Wait too long and you’re just wasting good hunting weather.

Ready to Fly Free When:

✓ Bird comes instantly every single time on creance
✓ No hesitation, even with distractions present
✓ Consistent over multiple days, not just one good session
✓ Bird’s weight is dialed in and stable
✓ You have telemetry (highly recommended)
✓ You’re flying in a good location with recovery options

The First Free Flight

When the day comes, treat it like any other creance session—but without the line:

Choose a calm day with light wind
Use your usual location (familiar is good)
Start at short distance, just like when you began
Have telemetry on the bird (seriously, get telemetry)
Keep the first session short—end on success
Celebrate quietly; don’t spook the bird

That first free flight is one of falconry’s great moments. All the work—the manning, the weight management, the creance sessions—comes together in that instant when your bird chooses to return to you with no string attached.

The Creance Period