Red tailed hawks in the wild…

Red tailed hawks in the wild are well known to have a nearly 90% mortality rate in their first year of life. A hawk being captured by a falconer as a juvenile is the equivalent of winning the lottery. The survival rate jumps to near 100% and any care at all the bird needs it gets. They are fed, kept out of the foul weather, treated for parasites etc. most falconers release these birds at or before they reach sexual maturity. Well trained to take all game big and small and ready to reproduce. Falconry can only have a positive impact on wild populations. Anyone who truly cares for wild raptors will support them being used by falconers.