at the moment our harries hawk's enclosure is constructed of a strong metal cage, however he is a really really nervous bird (most nervous harry i have ever met) and will on occasions fly in to the metal, only once has he cum out with a cut but still for me once is too many. so i wana change the metal cage to a strong net, the kind that london zoo have for their large avery. does any1 else have these for their birds? is the hawk guna get tangled up in it or if i have it taught enough their wont be a problem? also does any1 know where i could find sed netting?
cheers
mike

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Why dont you make a huge averie made of wood? With a mesh front. If it is net, are you not worried about someone cutting through it and stealin him?

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if someone was set on stealing him they could get bolt cutters i think they're called to cut through the metal, either way its always going to be a risk.

got a few friends who keep birds of prey their aviaries are all the traditional wood and mesh type, i'll ask for you to see if i can find out about the netting though.

If not, and this might be a silly suggestion but is there any way of contacting london zoo via email perhaps? And asking them who they get to do it? I emailed chester zoo a couple of times a few years back and always got a reply even if i had to wait a couple of days. might be an idea?

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If you made a wooden enclosure, on the front you could have the strong mesh zoo's use for the lions and stuff.

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but wasn't the problem that the harris hawk kept flying into the sides and he was worried about injuries? the netting would prevent injuries metal bars would not. If that makes any sense?

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no its very secure where i am so som1 stealing him isnt a problem (touch wood) i mite try london zoo, good idea. to be fair they wouldnt put it up if ther was a risk of them getting caught up. ive found heavy duty netting that is ment to keep birds out...i.e to put over fruit trees, surly this must do the same job, but just keeping the birds in rather than out

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i've found this

Knowle Nets: Aviary Netting

that the sort of thing you're after?

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As the bars are metel, are have gaps between them, you wouldnt face that problem if he had a large wooden averie with mesh only on one side, the front.

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Can you put some pics up of your set up? How old is the bird? Have you put him down for the moult?

I fly a male Redtail. I have a large wooden mews 8'x6'x8' tall and have kept him tethered whilst he has been at hunting weight, but now I'm feeding him up he is free lofted. My mews has a large window with bars in and mesh on the outside of the bars there is no glass. It is possible that the bird cannot be free lofted, I'm not sure how mine's going to behave yet. Birds usually calm down when at a high weight going through the moult. Some birds will fly at the mesh if a cat comes into the garden.

8/5 wooden shed with the front taken out i use the plastic mesh 1/1 you can usually find this in the garden centre no more cuts and no way as harsh as metal mesh works for me