David Whitley discovers that for pampered Emirati birds, it’s first-class treatment all the way

Inside the waiting room of the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital, several Emiratis in traditional dress are gently stroking their loved ones. In Abu Dhabi, falcons are treated as part of the family.

The birds have hoods over their eyes, keeping them calm before their check-up. When one gets a bit too excitable and does its business all over the floor, its owner leaps into action and scoops up the mess. That sample will be required to get the medical certificate that allows the bird to travel.

Falconry is a long-standing tradition in Abu Dhabi. Historically, Bedouins would entrap the birds and train them to be used as an essential hunting tool. Taming and training these creatures is no mean feat: falconers have to keep the bird on their arm 24 hours a day for 10 to 14 days, only passing the bird to another member of the family when their arm tires.

However, despite being woven into the region’s rich history, hunting with falcons is now prohibited in Abu Dhabi. So keen falconers — of which there are many — must travel elsewhere to practise. For many, this means heading off to Pakistan, Kazakhstan or Morocco. Cherished falcons are often given a first- or business-class airline seat to themselves, and tend to spend the journey being pampered and treated like VIPs. Each bird has its own passport — but without a valid medical certificate, this holds little authority.

Established in 1999, the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital sees anywhere from 50 to 100 falcons treated within its walls every day. If the waiting room seems a little on the odd side, the examination room is simply bizarre. The patients line up on little benches covered in an astroturf-like material; they look as though they’re queuing in the falcon equivalent of the post office.

Each one has to be weighed, and some receive endoscopies to check for fungal infections. Towards the back of the hospital, there’s even an intensive care unit. For most visitors to the hospital, however, the trip is simply about having their feathers checked and talons clipped. In the wild, their talons would be worn down naturally by rocks, but for tamed, trained falcons, there’s not enough opportunity for that process — so the doctors at the hospital have to get clipping.

The process is simple and methodical. The doctor picks up a falcon from the bench and brings it over to the specially designed table. He fits a conical contraption over the bird’s head and gas is released until the creature goes off to sleep. The doctor spreads the soft, feathered wings, then expertly clips its talons and files them down with a mini-sander.

A few minutes after the procedure’s completed, the groggy falcon begins to wake up. With flapping wings and stomping feet, she conveys her discontent. But it’ll all be worth it: she can now go off hunting — and she can enjoy a posh seat on the way.