Which of the following describes falconry?

• A. The sport of racing pigeons.
• B. The study of migration patterns in birds.
• C. The use of birds of prey to deter pests.
• D. The art of training and hunting with birds of prey.

Answer: (D)

Falconry is the practice of training birds of prey to hunt with a human handler. It focuses on building a working relationship between the falconer and the bird, using specialized training and equipment to enable the bird to pursue and capture game under human guidance. That makes the description of training and hunting with birds of prey the best fit.

Racing pigeons describes a different sport altogether, pigeon racing. Studying migration patterns falls under ornithology, not falconry. Using birds of prey to deter pests is an application of raptors in pest management, but falconry is defined by the training and hunting partnership, not solely by pest deterrence.