Haggards

Haggards is a term with two primary senses. In falconry, a haggard refers to a wild adult falcon or hawk that has been captured in the wild and reached mature plumage, as opposed to a juvenile eyas. Haggards are valued for their experience and hunting instincts; after training, they may be used for falconry or kept as skilled birds of prey. The plural form haggards can describe more than one such bird.

In general English usage, haggard is also an adjective meaning gaunt, exhausted, or worn-looking, as in a haggard face. The word can be applied to people, animals, or situations that appear worn by hardship. The term has appeared in literary and journalistic contexts to convey fatigue or distress without specifying age.

As a proper noun, Haggards may occur as a surname or place name, though such uses are uncommon and not widely documented in major reference works.