The Eagle Hunters of Kyrgyzstan

In the mountains of Central Asia, a Small group of outdoorsmen are keeping an ancient tradition alive. The post The Eagle Hunters of Kyrgyzstan appeared first on The Atavist Magazine.

Personal Blog May 3, 2025 0 2 Add to Reading List

The
Eagle
Hunters
of
Kyrgyzstan

In the mountains of Central Asia, a Small group of outdoorsmen are keeping an ancient tradition alive.

Photographs by
yam g-Jun

Published April 2025

In the spring of 2021, Talgar Shaybyrov embarked on a heartbreaking journey. For twenty years, Talgar had hunted with a golden eagle he called Tumara. The two lived at nearly 6,000 feet above sea level, in the quiet town of Bokonbaevo, Kyrgyzstan, where guesthouses and yurt camps line the shore of Issyk Kul, the world’s second-largest saltwater lake. They had spent the past two decades hunting jackals and foxes together, often traveling in Talgar’s run-down Volkswagen Golf, a modern replacement for a horse. Now Talgar was ready to return Tumara to the wilderness, as was the custom among eagle hunters. Doing so allows the birds a chance to mate and be free as they near the end of their long lives. “I have spent so many years with her,” Talgar told me. “I hope she will enjoy her freedom.”

Kyrgyzstan’s eagle hunters, or burkutchu, carry on a long-standing tradition. For centuries, hunting with an eagle was essential to the region’s nomadic lifestyle: A good hunter could help feed and clothe a village. One family member typically teaches another, and it begins when a hunter finds a nest with multiple eaglets and chooses one to raise. It can take three months to train and raise a fledgling. The hunters spend years with their birds, and the relationship can take on an almost human quality. “Suluuke is like a daughter to me,” said Nursultan Kolbaev, Talgar’s nephew, of the bird he began training in 2012.

While burkutchu still use the eagles to hunt, many like Nursaltan also view the endeavor as a sport—and a way to make a living. Nursaltan was named eagle-hunting champion at the 2014 World Nomad Games. As travel to the region flourished, he turned to performing for tourists. This provides income for Nursultan’s family, but he’s been criticized for sacrificing tradition for profit. As Talgar began training his next eagle, the burkutchu community grappled with a changing world and what it might mean for the centuries-old relationship between humans and the eagles they train.

Talgar Shaybyrov leads a hunt in Bokonbaevo, October 2020. Hunters often work in groups—on horseback and traveling by car—to increase the chance of a successful hunt.

Bokonbaevo, with Issyk Kul and the Tian Shan range in the distance.

Right and below: Nursultan and Suluuke in Fairytale Canyon. During training, each success is rewarded with a piece of meat.

Left: Nursultan with Suluuke and his son at their home. The white hat Nursultan wears is called an ak-kalpak; the leather hood on Suluuke is called a tomogo. Below: Nursultan shows off a medal from the World Nomad Games; he’s a former champion in eagle hunting.

Right and below: Nursultan on a hunt in Jalal-Abad in December 2021 with Suluuke and his dog.

The Taigan is a breed of sight hound native to Kyrgyzstan. They are used to flush prey, such as foxes, on a hunt.

Right and below: In December 2021, eagle hunters in Bokonbaevo invited those from other parts of Kyrgyzstan for a joint expedition. The night before, 20 eagle hunters attended a sherine, or gathering. The event allowed them to connect with burkutchu from around the country—and size up the competition for the World Nomad Games.