Day 45:

Chapal has all but lost all his down. There only remains the few feathers left on his head. He is regularly perched on the lawn now to benifit from the sun and rain. He has been misted to help him cool off in the heat.


Perching the birds outside their mews so they are exposed to the elements, particularly the sun and rain is called weathering and is a valuable management strategy for a healthy falconry bird. There are actual enclosures called weathering pens which are designed for this purpose and allow for the secure and safe weathering of a bird(s). Leaving a bird unattended outside a mew or weathering pen is a dangerous practice. Stray cats, dogs or other wildlife present life threatening risks to a tethered bird(s).