Falconry in Abu Dhabi's Al Dhafra desert - in pictures

The season in the UAE runs from October until March

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  An Emirati falconer and his bird of prey are silhouetted against a low sun, in the Al Dhafra desert, the UAE. AFP

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  A falconer trains his bird of prey, as the season nears its end, in the Al Dhafra desert, in the western UAE. AFP

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  An falcon sits on its trainer's hand, against the background of a low sun. The falconry season in the UAE runs from October until March. AFP

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  An falconer trains his bird of prey in the UAE's Al Dhafra desert. Falconry has formed an integral part of Emirati culture for millennia. AFP

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  A male houbara bustard prepares to dance in order to attract females, in the Al Dhafra desert. The UAE is at the forefront of international efforts to protect the species. AFP

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  A male houbara bustard dances to attract a mate in the Al Dhafra desert. The UAE has developed one of the largest repopulation programmes for an endangered species anywhere in the world. AFP

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  A male houbara bustard dances in the Al Dhafra desert. An international captive breeding programme released 22,000 of the birds into the wild globally in 2019. AFP

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  A female houbara bustard appears as a male dances, in the Al Dhafra desert. AFP

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  A female houbara bustard watches as a male performs a courtship dance, in the Al Dhafra desert. AFP

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