What is hacking?

• A. A form of tethering training
• B. Free-flying young longwings
• C. A method of perch selection
• D. A type of meal preparation

Answer: (B)

Hacking is the practice of releasing a juvenile hawk so it can fly free and learn to hunt under supervised, gradual conditions. This method helps the bird move from captive life toward independent wild functioning, teaching it flight control, prey handling, and responsiveness to the local environment. It’s usually done with a hack box or portable perch near a safe release site, and the bird is fed and monitored as it begins to explore and return, with the level of human help reduced as it gains experience. This idea centers on transitioning young longwings to free flight and hunting, rather than being tied to a perch or prepared in other ways. It’s not about tethering training, perch selection, or meal preparation, which are different aspects of falconry training or husbandry.