Falconry is a historic art from the times of the Bedouin tribes, where the raptor is highly trained and used to hunt down migratory birds for food. To experience the authenticity of this tradition, visit the Falcon Souq at Souq Waqif while on your holiday in Doha. There you can explore the majestic birds up close, photograph them and have them sit on your arm. You might even be lucky enough to find yourself wandering along at the time of a public auction. Prices depend on size, strength, and skill level. The Falcon Souq also sells a large variety of falconry accessories such as hoods for the bird’s eyes, cuffs, and gloves for falconers, feathered lures to exercise and train birds, leg restraints and perches to keep the bird tethered, as well as medicines, veterinary supplies, and more. 

The birds are so important to Qatari culture that the Souq also houses a falcon hospital. Falconers can bring their birds to the air-conditioned building equipped with state-of-the-art medical incubators, wards, and surgery units. You are likely to see hooded falcons, a practice pursued as part of the taming process to keep them calm until they are used to their surroundings or falconer.