Tosh Show — "My Falconer - Adam Baz"

Host: Daniel Tosh
Guest: Adam Baz (Professional Falconer)
Date: September 23, 2025

Episode Overview

Comedian Daniel Tosh welcomes professional falconer Adam Baz to the show in an episode that soars through the world of birds of prey, the realities and quirks of falconry, and a barrage of Tosh’s signature humor and curiosity. Through candid conversation, the duo explores what it takes to train raptors, the strange intertwining of animal care and comedy, and why you should never expect affection from an owl. Rich in anecdotes and insights, the episode is equal parts education, entertainment, and irreverence.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Daniel's Solvang Adventure & Falconer Introduction

(01:42–12:51)

• Tosh shares a recent family trip to Solvang, a quirky Danish town in California, painting his usual comedic picture of odd local customs, expensive horse ranch lodging, and overeating on pastries and donuts.
• The setup segues into his enthusiasm for farm animals and wildlife—laying the foundation for the falconry interview.

2. Interview with Adam Baz: Life as a Professional Falconer

(13:07–56:53)

A. Adam’s Background & Path to Falconry

(16:07–17:54)

• Grew up in rural upstate New York as a bored punk skateboarder; father was a fly fisherman, which he likens to falconry.
• Lived a "pastoral" childhood, later moved to Portland, Oregon after Bard College for urban life and eventually outdoors appreciation.
• Developed an obsession with birds after a transformative psychedelic experience in the woods.
• Began as a bird biologist, then shifted into falconry after hearing an NPR interview with a pro falconer.
• Holds a graduate degree in ornithology.

"I always say, like, falconry is a little similar to fly fishing in some ways."
— Adam (16:39)

B. The World of Raptors

(18:48–19:58)

• Raptors include falcons, hawks, owls, and eagles—“predatory birds,” as Adam clarifies for Tosh.
• Adam didn’t grow up with birds as pets; the leap from bird-watching to handling raptors was professionally driven.

C. Training, Hunting, and the Legal Landscape

(21:17–25:24)

• Falconry is fundamentally a hunting sport historically practiced for over 5,000 years.
• In the US, becoming a falconer requires a hunting license, a specialized falconry license, and at least two years of apprenticeship, starting with trapping a wild hawk.
• Training a wild raptor takes 3 weeks to 3 months to build initial trust with food being the main motivator.

“You have to have a hunting license, you have to have a falconry license. And it is basically encouraged, if not required, that you hunt with your birds, at least for the first two years.”
— Adam (21:43)

• Birds can be sourced from breeders ($800–$5,000) or legally trapped from the wild using a special device called a “balshatri trap.”

D. Falconry Equipment and Bird Behavior

(28:47–33:00)

• The “hood” (a leather helmet) is traditional equipment to block a raptor’s intense vision and help them relax.
• Birds, notably hawks, have immensely strong talons—up to five times stronger than human hand grip.
• Birds like hawks and falcons can live up to 30–35 years in captivity, compared to 8–12 years in the wild.

E. Bird Training Realities & Misconceptions

(22:51–24:25 | 37:16–39:58)

• Bird training is ongoing; reinforcement is key for both birds and dogs.
• Raptors are not pets and will never be affectionate. The relationship is utilitarian, not emotional.
• Owls, despite their popular “wise” image, are not intelligent; hawks and falcons are much smarter.

“They don’t love me. They never will. They don’t want to spend that much time with me… If your goal is to have, like, a very affectionate relationship with an animal, this is not the group of animals for you.”
— Adam (47:36)

F. The Business of Falconry

(36:27–41:13)

• Adam’s work is multi-faceted: education for schools/families (approx. $400 for a private session), pest control for large properties, and animal handling for photo/video shoots.
• Humane pest control: using falcons/hawks to haze, not kill, pigeons, crows, and seagulls—often for hotels, resorts, and shopping centers.

"You're kind of honestly creating a problem for someone else."
— Adam (41:11)

• Estimates 30–40 falconers in greater LA; about 5,000 in the US overall, most of whom do not make it a profession.

G. Wildlife Anecdotes & Pop Culture

(43:10–44:48)

• Brief discussion about “Showgun”—the TV show featuring falconry.
• Adam offers a “wing bearer” service for weddings (hawk brings the rings), with the lure being a scissor-cut mouse.

H. Animal Care & Farm Life

(53:08–54:28)

• Adam’s household: 10 chickens, 2 Nigerian dwarf goats, a miniature pony, 5–6 raptors at any time, a highly energetic vizsla, and 2 full-size horses (kept at a barn).
• Adam’s girlfriend runs most of the farm operations.

3. Memorable Quotes & Comedic Moments

• On animals’ affections:

  “I just wanted your falcons to love you. I don’t know why.”
  — Daniel Tosh (48:30)

• On owls’ intellect:

  “Owls have, like, a good publicity team, you know? Everybody thinks they’re wise. They’re really not very smart birds. Hawks and falcons are way smarter.”
  — Adam (48:53)

• On bird handling:

  “So there’s just a hawk staring up at me in pantyhose. You know, it’s like a very bizarre…”
  — Adam (26:45)

• On falconry’s effectiveness:

  “Falconry began 5,000 years ago… Then with the advent of gunpowder, falconry became kind of eclipsed as an actual survival tool. Now it’s a sport.”
  — Adam (42:10)

4. Daniel Tosh’s Curious (and Juvenile) Theories

(30:40 and throughout)

• Tosh posits (repeatedly) that birds aim to poop on people, seeking Adam’s professional take on it.

  “I feel like when I watch like seagulls and stuff, or pelicans fly over a group of surfers, I feel like they hold it and… then they wait to fire.”
  — Daniel Tosh (30:53)
  Adam agrees there may be stress-induced aiming, but notes there’s no definitive answer.

5. Bird Care Tips & Urban Wildlife Issues

(51:30–53:37)

• Adam advises how to help a bird that’s hit a window: place in a quiet, dark box on a towel—don’t use a damp towel.
• Explains that hummingbirds enter “torpor” to recover from shock; warmth helps revive them.

6. Gifts & Drum Circles

(55:04–56:02)

• Tosh gifts Adam a cajon drum (which doubles as a potential barn owl box) and a whirlybird toy, and briefly brings his pig, Panda, into the studio.

Notable Timestamps

• 13:07 — Adam and his birds join the show
• 16:07 — Adam’s upbringing, first steps toward falconry
• 21:17 — Falconry as hunting; legalities
• 24:25 — How to trap a wild raptor for falconry
• 28:47 — Falcon hood explanation
• 33:10 — Daily routine training/flying birds
• 37:16 — Explaining tiers of falconer services
• 47:36 — Birds as working animals, not pets
• 48:53 — “Owls are not smart” discussion
• 51:30 — Bird window-strikes: first-aid advice

Entertaining Exchanges

• On falcons and football helmets:

  “Falcons can smash and they don’t get concussed… I don’t know if they’re going to try to inject falcon gel into players' heads.”
  — Daniel Tosh (34:40)

• On own animals:

  “Everything you have involves, like, needing to go fucking four country miles.”
  — Daniel Tosh (53:48)
  “I’ll stay with where I’m at.”
  — Adam, dodging Tosh’s matchmaking (54:25)

• On the “wing bearer” wedding service:

  “We call it a... the wing bearer package.”
  — Adam (44:09)
  “So they have to have like one of your scissor cut mice up there?”
  — Daniel Tosh (44:16)
  “Actually, yes, they do.”
  — Adam (44:18)

Conclusion

Daniel Tosh delivers another off-the-wall, yet thoughtfully informative episode, bringing listeners into the little-known world of falconry. With Adam Baz’s expertise, we learn the rules, realities, and rampant myths of working with raptors. The episode showcases both Tosh’s relentless pursuit of bizarre questions and Adam’s dry wit and deep knowledge, resulting in a delightful, slightly chaotic, and unexpectedly educational podcast hour.