Photos: Delicate art of falcon feather repair thrives in Saudi Arabia

In the heart of Taif, the unique and time-honored tradition of feather imping, a practice known locally as tawseer, thrives. This meticulous craft is commonly used on birds of prey, particularly falcons, to replace a damaged feather with a healthy one. It involves the insertion of a donor feather, obtained either from the bird's previous molting or from another bird of the same or different species.

After a hunting or training season, falcons may suffer broken or damaged feathers. Skilled craftsmen, who have inherited their knowledge from generations past, step in to mend the falcon's feathers using specialized tools and techniques.

According to imping expert Masoud AlJuaid, the process is delicate, requiring a keen eye and a steady hand. Skilled craftsmen, he said, can complete the task in just 4-5 minutes, using simple tools such as wooden skewers, copper wire, adhesive glue, and white powder or wood ash. The latter helps to stabilize the newly added feather and prevent it from affecting the falcon's flight.

Imping is not merely an aesthetic practice; it is essential to maintaining the falcon's balance and flight capabilities. A broken or damaged feather can disrupt the bird's aerodynamics, leading to difficulty in flying or even injury.

A falcon's wing consists of 22 feathers: 10 primary feathers, on the outer edge, and 12 secondary feathers on the inner edge. The molting and growth of each feather takes approximately 3-8 weeks, depending on its length. The art of tawseer requires a deep understanding of falcon anatomy, feather types, and the intricate process of feather replacement. It is testament to the rich cultural heritage of falconry in Saudi Arabia, and the dedication of its practitioners to preserving this tradition.