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How Much Does a Trained Hawk Cost? Know the Facts

LB Lena Bergström Columnist August 13, 2026 2 min read № 047
How Much Does a Trained Hawk Cost? Know the Facts

There are a number of stages of training a hawk, from ‘imprinting’ with a chick to training a bird to fly from the wrist, all the way to training a deadly hunter, capable of taking prey much larger than its wild relatives. But how much does a trained hawk cost? A trained hawk can cost upwards of $1,000. Training a hawk to hunt successfully can take a long time which makes successful hunters quite pricey. This is not including shipping and the health certificates that are required in some states. Untrained birds and chicks are often available to order from breeders. Breeders will often charge a deposit to cover the cost of raising pre-ordered chicks, but even an untrained Harris hawk from an extensive breeding program will cost $800 or even more for a female. Let’s learn more about how much a trained hawks cost. The Most Expensive Bird in the World Compared to the world’s most expensive Saker (Peregrine) falcons sold at Saudi Arabian auctions for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Even the $90,000 for the world’s most expensive racing pigeon, the couple of thousand you might spend on a pair of hawks, could almost be considered pocket change. This is on the high end for how much a trained hawk can cost. Where to Buy Trained Hawks There are a few websites that specialize in the sale of raptors in the U.S.A. Still, as shipping can be an additional few hundred bucks (and maybe impossible with COVID restrictions), it is worth trying to find a reputable local breeder. That being said, these sites are worth watching. On occasion, people will offer up experienced birds much cheaper, sometimes even free to a good home. What is Falconry? Yes, we are still dealing with hawks, but hunting with predatory birds

There are a number of stages of training a hawk, from ‘imprinting’ with a chick to training a bird to fly from the wrist, all the way to training a deadly hunter, capable of taking prey much larger than its wild relatives.