18 ATTACHMENT 08 - Laserfiche WebLink

the applicant's raptor housing facilities and falconry equipment shall be inspected and certified by a representative of the State wildlife department as meeting the following standards: (1) Facilities. The primary consideration for raptor housing facilities whether indoors (mews) or outdoors (weathering area) is protection from the environment, predators, or undue disturbance. The applicant shall have the following facilities, except that depending upon climatic conditions, the issuing authority may require only one of the facilities described below. (i) Indoor facilities (mews) shall be large enough to allow easy access for caring for the raptors housed in the facility. If more than one raptor is to be kept in the mews, the raptors shall be tethered or separated by partitions and the area for each bird shall be large enough to allow the bird to fully extend its wings. There shall be at least one window, protected on the inside by vertical bars, spaced narrower than the width of the bird's body, and a secure door that can be easily closed. The floor of the mews shall permit easy cleaning and shall be well drained. Adequate perches shall be provided. (ii) Outdoorfacilities (weathering area) shall be fenced and covered with netting or wire, or roofed to protect the birds from disturbance and attack by predators except that perches more than 6'/Z feet high need not be covered or roofed. The enclosed area shall be large enough to insure the birds cannot strike the fence when flying from the perch. Protection from excessive sun, wind, and inclement weather shall be provided for each bird. Adequate perches shall be provided. (2) Equipment. The following items shall be in the possession of the applicant before he can obtain a permit or license: (i) Jesses-At least 1 pair of Alymeri jesses or similar type constructed of pliable, high-quality leather or suitable synthetic material to be used when any raptor is flown free. (Traditional 1-piece jesses may be used on raptors when not being flown.); (ii) Leashes and swivels-At least 1 flexible, weather- resistant leash and 1 strong swivel of acceptable falconry design; (iii) Bath container-At least 1 suitable container, 2 to 6 inches deep and wider than the length of the raptor, for drinking and bathing for each raptor; (iv) Outdoor perches-At least 1 weathering area perch of an acceptable design shall be provided for each raptor; and (v) Weighing device-A reliable scale or balance suitable for weighing the raptor(s) held and graduated to increments of not more than % ounce (15 gram) shall be provided. (3) Maintenance. All facilities and equipment shall be kept at or above the preceding standards at all times. (4) Transportation; temporary holding. A raptor maybe transported or held in temporary facilities which shall be provided with an adequate perch and protected from extreme temperatures and excessive disturbance, for a period not to exceed 30 days. (h) Marking. All peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus), gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus), and Harris hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus) possessed for falconry purposes must be marked in accordance with the following provisions: (1) Any peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus), or Harris hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus), except a captive bred raptor lawfully marked by a numbered, seamless band issued by the Service, must be banded with a permanent, non-reusable, numbered band issued by the Service. (2) Any peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus), or Harris hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus) possessed for falconry purposes must be banded at all times in accordance with these standards. Loss or removal of any band must be reported to the issuing office within five (5) working days of the loss and must be replaced with a permanent, non-reusable, numbered band supplied by the Service. (i) Taking restrictions. State laws or regulations shall provide the following restrictions on the taking of raptors from the wild: (1) Young birds not yet capable of flight (eyasses) may only betaken by a General or Master Falconer during the period specified by the State and no more than two eyasses may betaken by the same permittee during the specified period. (2) First-year (passage) birds may betaken only during the period specified by the State; (3) In no case shall the total of all periods of taking of eyasses or passage birds exceed 180 days during a calendar year, except that a marked raptor may be retrapped at any time; and (4) OnlyAmerican kestrels (Falco sparverius) and great-horned owls (Bubo virginianus) may be taken when over one year old, except that any raptor other than endangered orthreatened species taken undera depredation (or special purpose) permit may be used for falconry by General and Master falconers. Q) Otherrestrictions. State laws or regulations shall provide the following restrictions or conditions: (1) A person who possesses a lawfully acquired raptor before the enactment of these regulations and who fails to meet the permit requirements shall be allowed to retain the raptors. All such birds shall be identified with markers supplied by the Service and cannot be replaced if death, loss, release, or escape occurs. (2) If you possessed raptors before January 15, 1976, the date these regulations were enacted, and you had more than the number allowed under your permit, you may retain the extra raptors. However, each of those birds must be identified with markers we supplied, and you cannot replace any birds, nor can you obtain any additional raptors, until the number in your possession is at least one fewer than the total number authorized by the class of permit you hold. (3)Afalconry permit holdershallobtain written authorization from the appropriate State wildlife department before any species not indigenous to that State is intentionally released to the wild, at which time the marker 6