Abu Dhabi is the bustling hub of Etihad Airways and a major stopover of international airlines. When in the city, visit Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital, a world-renowned facility just six kilometres from the airport. Even on a short layover, you may be able to squeeze in a visit.
For a longer stay in the emirate, I recommend including a tour of the hospital on your itinerary. It is just one of several cultural experiences and offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of these magnificent birds of prey.
Preserving Emirati heritage
Falconry is deeply rooted in the traditions of Emirati society. Life in the harsh desert conditions was challenging, and Bedouins relied on falcons to hunt for birds, reptiles, and small mammals for food.
Image by Neil Dodhia from Pixabay
Abu Dhabi is on a major migration route of falcons. In the fall, Bedouins captured the birds and used them for hunting for meat during the winter. They’d be released back into the wild in the spring. Falcons meant survival.
Emiratis are passionate about falconry. Falcons are revered in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), symbols of national pride. Falcons have their own passports and are permitted in the cabin of aircraft of some Middle Eastern carriers. Sometimes a falcon scores a business class seat.
The care bestowed on falcons reflects their status in the Emirates.
Captive-bred falcons
Today, only captive-bred falcons can be legally owned in the UAE, with the most sought-after falcons being female. A female is typically one third larger than a male, and more powerful. Females can carry prey weighing up to five times their body weight.
Captive-bred female falcons can cost over $100,000, sometimes much more. At an auction In Saudi Arabia in 2020, a young Shaheen breed, a type of peregrine falcon, fetched $170,000.
Hunting in the UAE is limited to a few special reserves. Owners take their birds to places such as Pakistan, Morocco, and the central Asian region for hunting excursions.
Falcons can be trained to deliver their game without killing it or eating any part of it. This is a vital characteristic in the Islamic world. Animals used for food must be alive and healthy when their throats are cut, and blood is drawn from the carcass to ensure the meal is ‘halal.’
Visit Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital
Falcon treatment and care
The Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital is a world-class veterinary care facility that treats over 11,000 birds each year. It conducts research and offers training, boarding, and grooming services. There’s also a falcon release program where wild falcons are cared for and released back into the wild.
The hospital has individual air-conditioned rooms for over 200 birds that may need to be hospitalized or if owners require falcon care at an ‘avian hotel.’
Falcons are strong, fast fliers with stunning aerial agility. With flight speeds exceeding 300 km/h (186 mph), falcons can suffer severe injuries as they collide with prey or misjudge a landing. Or they may become sick after consuming infected meat.
It is sometimes difficult to recognize if a falcon has a health issue, so the hospital offers annual check-ups.
Sharp-taloned falcons perch majestically in the waiting room on rows of AstroTurf-covered benches as they patiently wait their turn to be examined by clinic staff. Their feet are tethered, and each one wears a hood of soft leather to help the bird remain calm.
Coping promotes good health
Unlike the beaks and talons of wild falcons that are naturally kept in check, coping (trimming) of talons and beaks of captive falcons is necessary. The procedures are carried out two or three times a year, depending on how fast the nails and beaks grow. But firstly, a falcon needs to be anesthetized. A gas cone is safer than a syringe. Once the bird’s head is removed from the cone after the procedure, it regains consciousness reasonably quickly.
Pedicures are commonplace as the talons of captive falcons grow dangerously long and need to be coped.
During a check-up, a bird’s feathers are carefully scrutinized. A falcon’s flight becomes significantly unbalanced when it loses even a single flight feather.
Repairing or substituting lost feathers is a simple procedure. The damaged feather is cut, and a new feather is attached. A needle or wooden stick is glued into the hollow shafts of both the damaged feather and the newly transplanted feather. Replacements must be the original shape and size, taken from an extensive supply of feathers at the hospital.
It’s a temporary measure as the root of the damaged feather remains in the bird’s flesh, and a new feather is produced naturally after moulting. When it’s time for their birds’ annual moult, owners bring their falcons to a designated room in the hospital to shed their feathers in private. The practice provides the hospital with a constant supply of feathers in all shapes and sizes.
The falcon hospital tour
The two-hour tour includes the falconry museum, the hospital’s examination room, and the free-flight aviary. Bookings are mandatory and are bookable online.
A highlight is to have a falcon perched on your arm in the examination room. Leather gloves are available to protect visitors’ arms from talons.
How to get there
It’s possible to join a tour with departures from major hotels and Abu Dhabi International Airport.
If travelling independently, from central Abu Dhabi follow Airport Road (E20) to Sweihan Road in the direction of Falah City. About 3 kilometres past the junction with Highway E11, turn right after the water tank (before exit 30A) and follow the signs to the hospital. The hospital is marked on Google Maps.
From Dubai, it’s about a 45-minute drive.
Might you be interested in my posts on Dubai?
- 10 tips for exploring Dubai on the cheap
- While in Dubai, splurge on high tea at the Burj Al Arab, the world’s only ‘7-star hotel’
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