Falconers must know the terminology involved with this sport as well as understand their birds. Our birds hit three stages of life.

• An "eyass" is a young bird taken from the nest before it is ready to fly. Once it is ready to fly, a young bird – like the peregrines in A FALCONER’S MEMOIR – is "hacked," allowed to fly free until it is ready to hunt its own food. This helps the bird develop its flying skills. Then, the bird is returned to captivity.
• A "passager" is any young bird that already can fly that is taken while it is still in its first-year plumage.
• A "haggard" is a bird captured as an adult and therefore of unknown age; often, the law prohibits capturing birds of mating age.

Some Commonly used Falconry terms that you will surely need to become familiar with. Here is a glossary of the most needed falconry terminology to help you get started. Books will also help you with this.

Accipiter - Genus of raptor, the "short-winged hawks," i.e. Goshawks.

Austringer - One who hunts with accipiters.

Bal-chatri - A cage like trap with live bait and monofilament nooses that catch the raptor by the feet.

Bate - An attempt to fly from the fist or perch when secured.

Bind - To grab quarry and hold it.

Brancher - A young hawk that is mostly feathered but not yet fully capable of flight.

Buteo - Genus of raptor, the"broad-winged hawks," i.e. the Redtail hawk.

Cadge - A portable hawk perch capable of holding several birds.

Cast - The regurgitation of indigestible fur and bones, a normal daily act; or two raptors flown together; or to physically hold a raptor to prevent movement.

Creance - Long training cord or leash.

Crop - Vascular sac were food is first digested.

Enter - When a trained raptor first captures a type of quarry.

Eyas - A raptor taken from nest before fledgling.

Eyrie - A raptor nest site.

Feak - When the bird cleans his beak.

Hack - Leaving a bird free for a time to develop flying skills.

Haggard - A raptor that was over 1 year old when it was taken from the wild, or a wild raptor that is over one year old.

Imping - A method of repairing broken feathers.

Imprint - The psychological pairing of an infant to it's perceived parent.

Intermewed - A raptor that has moulted in captivity.

Jesses - Leather straps to secure the bird by the legs.

Manning - The process of taming a raptor.

Mantle - To hide food from onlookers by covering with wings.

Mews - Housing for raptors.

N.A.F.A. - North American Falconers' Association, established in 1961.

Passager - A raptor that was taken from the wild in the fall of its first year, or a wild raptor that has not yet molted into its adult plumage.

Penned-Hard - Fully grown feathers.

Pitch - Height a falcon takes overhead usually expressed in feet.

Preen - Straightening feathers with the beak - grooming.

Rouse - Shaking feathers out as a grooming action.

Slip - To release the raptor after quarry.

Stoop - Rapid decent from altitude, usually in pursuit of quarry.

Telemetry - Electronic gear for tracking lost raptors.

Tiercel - Male raptor.

Tiring - Tough piece of meat to pull and eat tediously.

Weather - To put a bird outside to enjoy the weather; secured.

Wait-on - The falcon maintaining pitch over the falconer.

Warble - An overhead wing stretch.

Yarak - State of mind in accipiters and hawks eager to hunt.

Falconry Training . Beginner's Falconry Books.
North American Falconry & Hunting Hawks, by Harold Webster and Frank Beebe

The Falconer's Apprentice, by William Oakes

The Red-Tailed Hawk, by Liam McGranaghan

Understanding the Bird of Prey, by Dr. Nick Fox

More Recommended Falconry Training Books Guides.
American Kestrels in Modern Falconry, by Matthew Mullenix

Buteos and Bushytails, by Gary Brewer

Care and Management of Captive Raptors, by L. Arent and M. Martell

Falconry Equipment, by B.A. Kimsey and J. Hodge

Raptor Biomedicine, by T. Patrick Redig, J. Cooper, D. Remple and D. Bruce