Ani Aguilar – Avian Bodies
I am a falconer living in San Cristobal, NM.
Avian Bodies is an ongoing documentation of my experience
and observations through falconry. It is a visual and verbal
timeline of how the sport has incorporated value to my life.
10.11.2025
Here is post number two for the new birdy. I finally decided on the name Sinatra, after the character in the show “Paradise” who is named after the singer. Got her weight down -82g. Her response seems to do well around 1035g-1048g….. assuming that is her backyard weight. Hunting weight, I will probably go down another 5g or 10g. Telemetry finally ordered and waiting on backorder for the scout transmitter. Hopefully free flying her soon. Here is a picture of her on my work desk. Her job is to shred paper.
09.14.2025
Trapped a new bird in Costilla 9/14/2025. Prepared a lot. Food, traps, and smelly rats. Lots of driving until finding a perfect non-busy road with lots of ag land. A few funny failed attempts before finally catching one under a pole. She immediately went down on the trap as I drove away. A fence, I hadn’t noticed, stopped her while I approached. Swiftly put the towel on her before any cause for injury. Trapping weight: 1217g!
08.22.2025
Era el cielo, but from a bird’s point of view, 2025, 7 x 5 in. oil on wood
06.29.2025
Study of jesses and extenders used for an American Kestrel.
01.06.2025
About Luz (Luz Sin Freno)
Luz passed away in the beginning of this year. Her death was very much preventable. It is mostly from ignorance and lack of experience from the apprentice’s part (me) that one can lose their bird very quickly. Although I had taken precautions (even sometimes excessively) not to give her contaminated meat, somehow the stupid lead had gotten to her.
Although painful to accept, it is important to walk away from such experiences with some lessons learned. One of those lessons for me was to take advantage of resource. The bank of information one can find from people’s past experiences on the internet is endless. If one would really dig through it all, ask questions, come to conclusions, then ask more questions, one can apply this with more informed decisions. By the time I found out the behaviors she made was symptoms of lead poisoning, it was too late.
The second lesson I learned is to really take ownership and responsibility for the bird. I’ve heard it before from other falconers, but it’s not until I realize certain tricky circumstances could challenge that otherwise. An example being to never trust the well being of the bird to others. Not friends, not friend’s of friends. Because in the end, regardless of the world’s perspective on things, the falconer is the one who is going to have to deal with the circumstances, not the world.
The third lesson I learned was that sometimes when there is a management problem that begins and doesn’t resolve, it is best to release the bird from captivity and start over. All of the problems I had in which prevented me from hunting with my first bird began when I could no longer hood her. Everything that went wrong afterwards followed; no efficient method of transportation, over trained, no hunting, no fresh game. These are just some of the main factors that are important for the success of a bird’s career.
Probably the most paramount thing that I witnessed, as obvious as it may seem, was the importance of hunting as frequently as possible. It is not training as much as possible. It is hunting. If I don’t hunt, I fail and my bird suffers. Get the 4WD, face your fears, take the risks, quit your crying, enjoy it, and learn from it. Life takes things away from you. It happens. It hurts. We move on, or at the very least, try.
06.22.2024
One of the earliest memories I have of birds of prey was when I was a kid buying a golden eagle necklace for a couple of pesos in front of the Sanctuary of Santo Nino de Atocha in Plateritos, Zacatecas. It’s a very vivid memory. The large courtyard, walls covered with milagros, and huge artisan markets.
05.06.2024
Molting has begun!
04.03.2024
I made luz a swing and she loves it. She is now free lofting (no tether) in her enclosure to give her more room to move around during her first molt. Molting means she will be spending most of her energy growing into her adult plumage in the next few months, giving her a darker tawny look with the well known red-tail feathers :-) video
03.09.2024
Today I noticed Luz’s eyes are changing to dark brown. I got her to bathe in her pan by throwing some water bombs (fur with meat soaked in water), which got her feet in at first. When I came back to check on her, she was as wet as a mop bathing in the sun :)
In other news, NM Game and Fish has an Open Gate Program – a program that leases private lands to increase public opportunity for hunting, fishing, and trapping. Allowing hunters to access private land during an approprate game and season. There aren’t a whole lot near my area, but I am hoping this will expand and get others to join to access more land in the future – Link
03.06.2024
Where I grew up, every so often there was a sound that would travel around the neighborhood of an ice cream truck that sharpened knives. He was called the Afilador (sharpener). Above is a video I made of the first release of a sharp-shinned hawk at La Luz Trailhead NM, 2021.
Accompanied by Afilador’s music.
02.26.2024
It’s true!
02.13.2024
Almost lost Luz this morning outside the house. No creance, no gps. Thought I did everything right, but soon quickly realized all the wrongs when the worst could happen – she takes off. I swung the lure and blew the whistle like a maniac and cursed myself for two hours to no avail. I didn’t know if I should go in the house and call my sponsor or stay outside. Just as I thought I was 100% sure I lost her, I hopelessly whistled my normal recall and saw something move around from a distance. And there she was up the pine tree…
02.12.2024
Scouted the fields by wild rivers (BLM land). A 40 min drive from home. Flat area with scattered stiff sagebrush. Did not find rabbit poop, but very peaceful quiet area.
02.10.2024
02.06.2024
“It’s Good to Be King” by Tom Petty makes luz vocal. I do it to get her acclimated to people, touching feathers to build trust, and to check for a change of voice which could be a sign of aspergillosis.
02.06.2024
This is my first lure. A lure I made three years ago. I began making it when my father was passing away back in 2020. The feathers are from a pet bird I had who died the night before my father did. The leather from a wallet gifted to me by a cuban poet, and the string from the kites my father used to make with my sister and I when we were young.
02.06.2024
02.05.2024
Woke up at 7am to feed luz some cutup jack with vitamins. Her weight: 1033g. We did jump-ups for her training today and her response was mid to good. Yesterday, I met a nice couple who drove up my road enjoying the snowy clear weather. They stopped to take some photos of luz, and said they lived near Hondo. Mentioned some good hiking trails and a man that use to raise rabbits in Arroyo Seco. Luz and I waved them a good bye and continued the rest of her training. In other news, I bought art for the first time at an opening last weekend. The work is titled “Falconer” by Sandra Harrington, a local artist from Questa NM. (image attached above)
my falconry wish list (medicine & general)
my socials:
Ani Aguilar Avian Bodies 