noun
- a short strap of leather or similar material fastened around the leg of a hawk or falcon, used by falconers for control
Usage: falconry
Examples
- The falconer attached jesses to the hawk’s legs before the hunting expedition.
- Traditional jesses are made of soft leather to avoid injuring the bird.
- She checked that the jesses were secure before releasing the falcon.
- The medieval manuscript showed detailed illustrations of hawks wearing jesses.
- Modern falconers often use synthetic materials for jesses instead of leather.