Culture · At the camp
Falconry in Abu Dhabi
A falcon on your arm is AED 30 at our camp. Before you decide whether to do it, here is what the bird is, why it wears a hood, what a badly-run photo op looks like, and how to tell the difference — because no operator page in this market will tell you that.
- Falcon photo AED 30
- UNESCO heritage since 2010
- The hood is not a blindfold
- Falcons carry passports
- What to check before you hold one
The falcons at the camp belong to their handlers, not to us. We say what we insist on and what you should look at yourself.
Why it matters here
Not a tourist activity that became heritage — the other way round
Falconry in this part of the world was never sport first. Bedouin trapped migrating falcons, trained them over a season to hunt houbara bustard and hare, and released them again. It was how people ate through winter.
- UNESCOFalconry was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010, in a bid the UAE led. It was extended in 2012 and 2016 and re-inscribed in December 2021, now covering 24 countries.
- Sheikh ZayedThe founding president wrote a book on falconry and treated it as a cultural obligation rather than a hobby. The falcon is the national bird and appears on the UAE emblem.
- The birdsThe saker falcon is the classic Arab bird. The peregrine — shaheen — is prized for speed. Most falcons in the Gulf today are captive-bred gyr hybrids, larger and with more stamina.
- Why hybridsWild saker populations are endangered. Captive breeding, and the paperwork around it, is why the wild birds still exist at all.
- Falcon passportsThe UAE was the first country in the world to issue them, from 2002 — a CITES-compliant travel document to stop smuggling. Tens of thousands have been issued. Falcons fly in aircraft cabins here with their own documents.
- ADIHEXThe Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition each autumn is where the falconry world gathers. A rare white gyrfalcon once sold at auction there for over a million dirhams.
The honest section
Is holding a falcon for a photo alright?
It depends entirely on how it is run, and you can judge that in about thirty seconds. Nobody publishes this checklist, so here it is.
Signs it is being done properly
- The bird sits on a padded block or bow perch with a swivel and leash — tethering is standard falconry, not cruelty
- Jesses run free and are not tangled
- There is shade, and water nearby
- The handler transfers the bird onto your glove himself
- You are given a glove — always
- The queue is paced, with rests, not a continuous conveyor belt
- The bird is calm: settled posture, clear eyes, not panting
Signs to walk away
- The bird is in direct midday sun with no shade
- It is panting heavily or repeatedly trying to fly off the fist
- Guests are grabbing it themselves
- No glove offered
- Back-to-back handling with no break for an hour
- Visible wear or sores under the harness
About the hood
People call it a blindfold and assume it is cruel. A falcon’s dominant sense by an enormous margin is sight, and the hood — hand-stitched and fitted to that individual bird — removes visual stimuli so a crowd, a car journey or a camera flash does not stress it. It calms the bird rather than punishing it, and it comes off when the falcon flies. A hooded falcon on a perch is the opposite of a distressed one.
Practical
What it is actually like
- The weightLighter than you expect. A falcon is roughly 0.6 to 2 kg — on a gloved fist it is barely anything. People brace for something much heavier.
- The gripYou feel the talons through the glove as pressure, not as pain. That is what the glove is for.
- ChildrenOurs is a judgement call rather than a legal age. An adult stands with any child, and the handler keeps hold of the jesses throughout. If a child is nervous, feeding or standing near the bird is a better introduction than holding it.
- If you are frightened of birdsStand next to one first. A lot of guests decide at that point, and that is completely fine. It costs nothing to look.
- CostAED 30 per person at the camp, and the price is the same whether you book it in advance or decide on the night. It is on our published add-on list like everything else.
- SummerFalcons moult in the hot months and are rested. The UAE hunting season runs roughly October to March, which is why serious hunting birds are not working in July.
If you want the real thing rather than a photo, the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital runs tours — the world’s largest facility of its kind, with a museum and a free-flight aviary. Book direct with them.
FAQs
Falconry — your questions
How much does it cost to hold a falcon?
AED 30 per person at our camp, and the same price whether you book ahead or decide on the night.
Is the falcon photo op cruel?
It depends how it is run, and you can judge in thirty seconds. Look for a padded perch with a swivel and leash, shade and water, a handler who transfers the bird himself, a glove offered every time, and paced rests rather than continuous handling. Walk away from a bird panting in midday sun.
Why do falcons wear hoods?
Sight is a falcon’s dominant sense. The hood removes visual stimuli so crowds, travel and cameras do not stress the bird. It calms rather than punishes, it is fitted to that individual bird, and it comes off when the falcon flies.
How heavy is a falcon on your arm?
Around 0.6 to 2 kg — much lighter than people expect. On a gloved fist you barely notice the weight.
Can children hold a falcon?
With an adult beside them and the handler holding the jesses, usually yes. If a child is nervous, standing near the bird is a better start than holding it. There is no rush and no charge for looking.
Do falcons really have passports?
Yes. The UAE was the first country in the world to issue them, from 2002 — a CITES travel document created to stop smuggling. Tens of thousands have been issued and falcons travel in aircraft cabins with them.
What species will I be holding?
Most falcons in the Gulf today are captive-bred gyr hybrids, bred for size and stamina. The saker is the classic Arab bird and the peregrine is prized for speed.
Is falconry UNESCO listed?
Yes — inscribed in 2010 in a bid the UAE led, extended in 2012 and 2016, and re-inscribed in December 2021 across 24 countries.
How much does a falcon cost in the UAE?
Ordinary captive-bred birds start in the low thousands of dirhams. At the ADIHEX auction a rare white gyrfalcon has sold for over a million.
Why are there fewer falcons around in summer?
They moult in the hot months and are rested. The hunting season runs roughly October to March.
Is it safe?
Yes, with a glove and a handler controlling the jesses. The talons register as pressure through the leather rather than pain.
Add it to any safari for AED 30
Tell us when you book, or just decide at the camp. The price is the same either way and nobody will push you.