The Best Falconry Books
The internet has a lot of falconry information—some excellent, some dangerously wrong. Books remain the most reliable way to build a solid foundation. These have been vetted by experienced falconers and stand the test of time.
Reading is the cornerstone of falconry education. Unlike many outdoor pursuits where you can learn primarily through trial and error, falconry demands a deep theoretical foundation before you ever handle a bird. The best falconry books distill decades of hard-won field experience into structured guidance that protects both falconer and raptor. From understanding raptor physiology and behavior to mastering weight management and training techniques, these texts provide knowledge that no YouTube video or social media post can reliably deliver. Investing time in serious reading separates committed falconers from casual enthusiasts.
The books on this page are organized by experience level and specialization to help you build knowledge progressively. Begin with beginner titles that introduce falconry principles and inspire commitment to the craft. Move into essential reference guides and study materials that will prepare you for the licensing exam and your first season in the field. Once you have chosen a species, consult the species-specific manuals for targeted training advice. Finally, explore the history and culture section to understand the ancient traditions that shape modern falconry practice around the world.
Recommended Reading Order
Brand new? Start with “The Falconer’s Apprentice” → then the California Hawking Club materials → then “North American Falconry & Hunting Hawks.” These three will prepare you for the exam and your first bird. Everything else is enrichment.
For Beginners & Aspiring Falconers
The Falconer’s Apprentice
Start Hereby William C. Oakes
The gold standard introduction to falconry. Step-by-step guide to training a passage red-tailed hawk, written by a master falconer with 40+ years of experience. Start here.
Get on Amazon →A Rage for Falcons
Inspirationby Stephen Bodio
Part memoir, part natural history. Beautifully written exploration of what draws people to falconry. Foreword by Helen Macdonald. Perfect for understanding the soul of the sport before committing.
Get on Amazon →H is for Hawk
Memoirby Helen Macdonald
Award-winning memoir about training a Northern Goshawk while grieving a father. Not a how-to guide, but the best modern book for understanding the emotional depth of falconry.
Get on Amazon →Essential References & Study Guides
North American Falconry & Hunting Hawks
The Bibleby Frank Beebe & Harold Webster
THE definitive reference. 9th edition, two volumes, 832 pages covering everything from species selection to training methodology to advanced hunting tactics. Every serious falconer owns this.
Get on Amazon →California Hawking Club Study Materials
Free Resourceby California Hawking Club
Comprehensive study materials for the falconry exam. Despite being California-focused, the content applies nationally. Many states model their exams on this material.
Visit website →Understanding the Bird of Prey
Scienceby Nick Fox
Comprehensive scientific reference on raptor biology, behavior, and management. Dense but authoritative. Essential for understanding the bird beyond training techniques.
Get on Amazon →Species-Specific Guides
Once you know what species you’ll be flying, these deeper dives become invaluable.
Buteo Training Manual
by Tony Huston
Focused on training Red-tails and Harris’s Hawks. Practical, step-by-step guidance. If you’re an apprentice with a passage red-tail, this is your companion to Oakes.
The Harris’ Hawk Revolution
by Bob Dalton
Definitive guide to flying Harris’s Hawks. Covers their unique social hunting behavior and how to leverage pack mentality in training. Essential for Harris’s hawk falconers.
American Kestrels in Modern Falconry
by Matthew Mullenix
The most comprehensive guide to Kestrel falconry. Covers the unique challenges of flying these tiny falcons, weight management at the gram level, and suitable quarry.
The Hunting Falcon
by Bruce Haak
Focus on longwing falconry with Peregrines, Prairies, and Gyrfalcons. For those moving beyond apprentice species into the world of falcon flight.
Dirt Hawking: A Rabbit & Hare Hawker’s Guide
by Joe Roy III
The ultimate guide to rabbit and hare hawking. Covers field tactics, weight management, quarry habitat, and decades of practical hunting experience with buteos.
History & Culture
The Art of Falconry (De Arte Venandi cum Avibus)
by Frederick II of Hohenstaufen (13th century)
Written by a Holy Roman Emperor in the 1240s, this is the oldest comprehensive falconry text still in print. Remarkably accurate observations on raptor behavior that hold up today.
Find on Amazon →Falconry: Celebrating a Living Heritage
by Patrick Morel
Stunning photographic celebration of falconry around the world. Covers the cultural traditions of Arab, European, Central Asian, and American falconry.
Find on Amazon →learnResources.books.editorialIntroTitle
The falconry book market is small but remarkably high quality, with many titles written by master falconers who have devoted decades to perfecting their craft. Unlike general wildlife books that skim the surface of raptor keeping, the best falconry texts provide the granular, practical detail that practicing falconers need: specific weight ranges for each species, day-by-day training progressions, troubleshooting guides for common behavioral problems, and honest assessments of what works and what does not in the field. Building a personal falconry library is an investment that pays dividends throughout your career, as you will return to these references repeatedly as you encounter new situations and species.
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When selecting falconry books, prioritize authors who are active practitioners with documented field experience over those who write about falconry from a purely academic perspective. Look for books that have been recommended by multiple experienced falconers rather than relying on online reviews from people who may never have handled a bird. For exam preparation, the California Hawking Club study materials are the gold standard regardless of your state. For species-specific training, choose books written by falconers who have flown that species extensively in conditions similar to your own. Start with the foundational texts listed here and expand your library as your experience grows and your interests specialize.
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