A creance is a thin line used as a precautionary lead or guide when flying a hawk or falcon in an open space. It allows the handler to maintain control over the bird during training, when the bird's recall is expected to be untrustworthy. This may be when the bird is in an early stage of training, at a heavy weight, or going through environmental, hormonal, or metabolic changes that alter the bird's motivation.
The creance typically is made of a lightweight, braided, and strong line or chord that is secured to the bird's jesses on one end and held by the handler on the other end to manage slack. The creance is not intended to be felt by the bird, unlike how a leash is designed to allow tension between the handler and the animal, and can result in an injury of the bird if the bird is stopped by the line too suddenly.