Mongolia Sketch: The Eagles!
In Mongolia, a centuries-old tradition of hunting in partnership with eagles endures. Our small group of travelers had several chances to witness this unique human-eagle bond while traveling around the western province of Bayan Ulgii in September, 2023. But my first encounter was special, maybe because I was on my own, exploring our newest camp. There was a nomad family’s winter home nearby, surrounded by high stone wall corrals. When I peeked into one, there she was: a Golden Eagle. I sucked in my breath and held it in quiet awe.
There are practicalities with having a large, feral raptor in residence. She (all the eagles used for hunting are female) cocked her head calmly back and forth, knowing someone was nearby, because she was hooded and had to rely on her hearing. She was secured with rawhide to her solid wooden perch. She was alone in the corral. In coming days we would visit eagle hunters, and follow a hunt, and attend a two day eagle festival. But that first quiet—almost private—moment of proximity was one of pure, hushed magnificence.
The eagles were the stars of the show!
The nomad families we met were generous in sharing how their lives are intertwined with eagles. It is an intriguing partnership. The eagles come from the wild and are taught to perch on their handler’s forearms while riding on horseback up to the ridges of mountains, then to fly and pin down prey flushed from the underbrush below. It might be small game, such as a rabbit or marmot, or perhaps a fox or even a wolf. The result is meat for all, plus pelts and other usable remains for the families of the steppes.
One day, we stopped by the ger of a famous eagle hunter, and enjoyed the family’s customary hospitality of warm Mongolian milk tea, fry bread, and cheeses. Then we met his eagle, which was perched near a ger dome hoop stored on the corrugated metal wall of their winter camp. Unexpectedly, the hunter offered to let us hold the eagle! As he settled her on my forearm shielded by a thick rawhide glove, I could feel the powerful talons, easily capable of crushing my hand without the protection I had donned. At 500psi, that grip can also easily pop a car tire—or crush the skull of their prey. It didn’t take long for my arm to tire from holding 15 pounds of eagle. She got heavy, fast. When others held her that day, she sometimes stretched her wings to their extent of 6-7 feet, and it was breath-taking. The whole experience was beyond what I’d ever imagined, unexpected and profound. Afterwards, an upwelling of gratitude for meeting and holding this diplomat of the natural world led me to unbidden tears.
Another hunter we met, a winner of many awards at festivals and a 20-year veteran of eagle hunting, hosted us at their table inside, then showed us his eagle. When he removed the eagle’s hood, those intense eyes were close to mine, and in them seemed to be the depth of the ages. That term, “eagle-eye” is apt: eagles have eyesight that is 200 times sharper than humans.
Our host, Thomas Kelly, admiring the eagle
The following day, we met again at the eagle hunter’s home. Six more hunters arrived wearing traditional garb, riding their very tough, sensible horses. Their eagles were perched on a baldach (a forked crutch that holds the eagle’s weight), standing with calm dignity. Rawhide tethers were wrapped securely around each rider’s thick glove. After morning tea and pleasantries, we went up the valley a few miles to see them hunt. As they trotted and galloped in a line across the landscape, we followed in our vehicles. To see them on the move surely had to be much like it has looked for eons.
Riding out to the hunting grounds
Five hunters rode to the high ridges and two stayed below to beat the bushes for game. The day was partly overcast and brisk, but the sun was welcome. When nothing was flushed in the first valley, we moved to the next and waited. Finally: a fox broke cover! Five eagles were released. Three dropped to the fleeing prey, and two others apparently went sightseeing(!). When hunting, eagles can dive from their cruising speeds of 30mph at velocities that approach 200 mph. It was over quickly—and somehow, the fox wiggled out of their attack and ran off, safe. The hunters gathered their eagles and we circled up as the men excitedly relived and reviewed the events in the exotic tones of their native Kazakh language.
Hunters waiting on the ridge for prey to run
After a welcome lunch for everyone, the teams rode to a cliff to practice with their eagles. One skill was calling in the eagle to the handler’s arm. A man on horseback called up to his eagle at the clifftop where another hunter held it. Over time, the eagles learn to associate that summoning cry with their reward: a hunk of raw meat. Then they practiced having the eagle immobilize moving prey by dragging a rabbit carcass behind the horse and calling the eagle to fly down. It was like our own private eagle festival! And then: another surprise. When they were done, the hunters let us put on their skin deels (garments), and hold their eagles. Did that really happen? Thank goodness for the photographic record!
Releasing the eagle to go to its caller—and reward
When the time is right, after perhaps ten years or so, eagles are usually released back into the wild. With a lifespan of 20-30 years, this gives them time to be the masters of the skies that they are—and perhaps breed the next generation. The hunter takes his eagle to a high place along with a fresh-killed sheep to tide his departing partner over for a few days. Respect and gratitude is offered and then the hunter rides away, leaving the eagle to figure out her future for herself and to ride the high thermals once again, free.
The eagle comes when called–and gets her reward!
The eagle lands on the dragged “prey”
And about the actual eagle festival? It, too, was splendid. Wait for another blog for the full account! Stay tuned.
Please go to www.kazakhtour.com (our tour operator Dosjan Khaval’s website) and www.wild-earth-journeys.com (our tour host Thomas Kelly’s website) for some wonderfully tempting opportunities to travel in Mongolia. I can heartily recommend both.
[Source: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/golden-eagle]
