Riyadh: The criteria for selecting falcons vary depending on the purpose for which they are acquired. While falconers look for characteristics that suit performance and intended use when selecting hunting falcons, other considerations come into play when choosing falcons for breeding. This is reflected in the experiences of breeders participating in the International Falcon Breeders Auction 2026, organized by the National Center for Falcons at its headquarters in Malham, north of Riyadh.

According to Saudi Press Agency, British falconer Jeff Armstrong, owner of one of the falcon breeding farms participating in the auction, said that his relationship with falconry began in childhood and deepened after a falcon enthusiast moved to his neighborhood. He began by acquiring a falcon, which gradually developed into owning and breeding a number of falcons for personal use, while also selling some in the British market.

Armstrong explained that his farm has been operating for about 15 years and that his experience has combined falconry with falcon breeding. He noted that the peregrine falcon is his preferred choice for hunting, along with the gyr-peregrine hybrid.

He pointed out that his selection of a hunting falcon depends less on size than on the bird's build, characteristics, and suitability for its intended use. Falconers, he said, look for a combination of characteristics that correspond to the nature and style of hunting.

He added that the selection criteria differ when the purpose is breeding, as size becomes a more important consideration. In such cases, he tends to select larger falcons suitable for breeding, drawing on his knowledge of breeders and falcon bloodlines in Britain to choose birds to incorporate into his farm's breeding programs.