Okhota s lovchimi ptitsami u kirgizov

Falconry in the Kirghizes

. Moscow, State Ethnographical Museum of the Nations of the USSR. 6 pages. Several b& w photos. Kindly submitted by Dmitri Saksa.

Among the various hunts popular in ancient times in Kyrgyzstan, hunting with birds of prey was very popular, and it is still popular today. Falcons, Sparrowhawks, Goshawks, Altai Gyrfalcons and Golden Eagles were used as birds of prey.
The Kyrgyz distinguish about 200 species of birds of prey and divide them into categories and subgroups, depending on their colouring, size, claw structure and catching qualities. Birds of prey are found everywhere in Kyrgyzstan. For example, Golden Eagle or Sparrowhawk live permanently in Kyrgyzstan, others, for example, Goshawk, only come from the northern parts of the country in winter.
Nowadays, hunting with hunting birds of prey, especially Golden Eagles, is one of the favourite sporting pastimes of the Kyrgyz, especially in Priissykkulia and the Tien Shan.