eyas

American  

[ahy-uhs] / ˈaɪ əs /

especially British, eyass

noun

1. a nestling, usually a hawk.

2. Falconry. a young falcon or hawk taken from the nest for training.

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eyas British  

/ ˈaɪəs /

noun

1. a nestling hawk or falcon, esp one reared for training in falconry

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Etymology

Origin of eyas

First recorded in 1480–90; variant of nyas, nias ( a nyas taken as an eyas ), from Middle French niais “nestling,” derivative of Latin nīdus “nest;” see origin at nest

Explanation

An eyas is a very young falcon or hawk, one that hasn't yet learned to fly. The feathers of an eyas look very different from an adult bird's, being very downy and soft. In falconry, the ancient hobby of raising hawks for sport hunting, it's common practice to remove an eyas from its nest so that it can be hand-raised and become accustomed to humans. The human who trains and feeds an eyas becomes familiar enough to the bird that it will eventually fly, hunt, and return to its trainer's gloved arm. The word, via the French niais, comes from the Latin root nidus, "nest."

Example Sentences

Does the occasional eyas fall from its nest?

From New York Times • May 26, 2011

In a statement released on Monday, the agency hesitated to take action out of concern for the eyas and the intact eggs in the nest.

From New York Times • May 10, 2011

"She's an intermewed eyas, and not yet enseamed" means: "She is a young falcon that has recently molted and is still too fat to hunt."

From Time Magazine Archive

The board was just high enough to prevent the eyas from falling out.

From "Frightful's Mountain" by Jean Craighead George

Tenderly she plucked a bite and held it in her beak, waiting for an eyas to take it.

From "Frightful's Mountain" by Jean Craighead George