Falcons of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is a global leader in falconry. Falcons are a national symbol of the KSA*. They are deeply rooted in the country’s history and culture. Through centuries those beautiful birds have been a symbol of peace, strength, courage and nobility.

Falcon as a Peace Symbol

Three centuries ago falcons were used as a symbol of peace. Those majestic birds were helping to resolve tribal disputes. They were also used to exchange expensive gifts between tribes ‘leaders.

Prestige

Arabs used to use falcons for hunting for over 10,000 years. Now, they use falcons as a hobby. It is associated with wealthy royals and elite; therefore, it is called a sport for kings.

There are many events and competitions organized during the year. One of the most famous is the King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival that attracts thousands of participants from around the world. The agility and speed of the falcons catching the prey are timed. This Festival takes place near Riyad in December. It earned a Guiness Record title with the participation of 2,350 falcons. In 2021 Saudi Arabia’s falconry was put on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Status Symbol

The price of one falcon can be up to $66,654 as taming and grooming these beautiful creatures is coming at a price and is not easy at all.

As it is extremely prestigious to have a falcon, do not be surprised if you spot a falcon or even a lot of them flying the first class.

Training

Training a falcon is considered very difficult. It can even take up to a year. In the first stage it involves a lot of patience building a trust with the bird. It is important to understand the raptors’ behavior. The falcons are trained in the desert. Trainers speak softly to the falcon and introduce the bird to human contact.

Interesting Facts

Falcons are one of the fastest birds in the world. The top recorded dive speed was 242 miles per hour. They also have excellent eyesight thanks to two foveae in each eye. They are also known for their impressive aerial acrobatics.

Vocabulary

*KSA – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

falcon – a bird of prey with long pointed wings and notched beak, typically catching prey by diving on it from above (sokół)

nobility – the group of people belonging to the noble class in a class, especially those with a hereditary or honorary title (arystokracja)

dispute- a disagreement (sprzeczka)

hunt – pursue and kill for food or sport (polować)

agility – ability to move quickly and easy (zwinność)

prey – an animal that is caught and killed by another for food (żer, ofiara)

intangible – unable to be touched (tu: niematerialne dziedzictwo kulturowe)

tame – domesticate an animal (poskramiać)

groom –prepare or train for a particular activity (tu: trenowanie)

raptor – a bird of prey (ptak drapieżny)

eyesight – ability to see (wzrok)

foveae – a small depression in the retina of the eye where visual acuity is the highest (dołek środkowy siatkówki oka)