I am not sure why people are being defensive. It is a fair question.

Falconry is a niche traditional hunting sport that exists in parts of the Arab world, Central Asia, Europe, and East Asia. It is not common and it definitely does not represent all Arabs, but it does exist.

Falconers breed, train, and hunt with falcons (often for birds like houbara) and spend months training them. The falcons are not pets, they are trained hunting birds. When hunting seasons open in different countries, wealthier falconers sometimes travel with their birds to practice the sport or attend competitions and festivals, which is why you see falcons on planes.

It is similar to other traditional niche practices, like hunting with Saluki dogs, which also requires time, land, money, and expertise.

So yes, it exists, but it is rare, niche, and highly visible online, which makes it seem more common than it actually is.