Cailleach (pronounced Kay-leesh) - A Eurasian Eagle Owl that was born in 2005. Eurasian Eagle Owls are the largest species of owl in the world. Her wing span is near six feet! She is considered an average size for this species weighing in at six pounds. (Sounds light? Try placing a five pound sack of flour on your left wrist and hold it there.) Cailleach is a favorite at educational events and also moonlights in bird abatement. She is afraid of little wheels and umbrellas.
Webster – A 2007 Lanner/Saker hybrid is named after a famous North American falconer. He loves to talk, especially when Kate is talking. He is a real ham during flight demonstrations and is good at wowing the crowds. He comes right out of the sun at speeds upwards of 100 mph and excels in vertical drops, stoops. Webster also works at pest bird abatement. He loves the bagpipes and his favorite color is red.
Hohenstaufen – Is an ’08 Gyr/Peregrine hybrid. He is a hunting bird who occasionally works abatement projects. He does go to displays and demonstrations but only as glove candy. He flies so fast that we don’t use him for flight demonstrations. His favorite color is red.
Don Diego – His full name is Don Diego Alejandro Santiago Saragossa Inigo Montoya Del Gato. He is a 2005 Harris’ Hawk and has been doing education events since he was 24 weeks old. If we go hunting near a school he will leave the hunt to go visit the kids. He also does abatement work. He has extremely sharp talons and his favorite color is red.
Mariposa - Is Don Diego’s older sister by a couple of years. She came to us in ’09 after hunting with a falconer since’ 03. Her nickname is Ocho in honor of her eighth toe, bitten off by a ground squirrel. Mariposa is an accomplished hunter and also does education work. She likes to tease the dogs and her favorite color is… you guessed it.. red!
Draga – Her name means ‘Sweet’ in some languages, Romanian, Croatian, Gypsy, probably a few others. Sweet, like your favorite car. Sweet, like the one you love. Draga is a ’11 female Lanner falcon that we are raising for a breeder. She will have to leave us in a couple of years to go to a breeding project, but she will bring new blood lines into captive-bred U.S. Lanners. The Lanner is native to Africa and the Balkan area of Europe. She has been with us since she was 10 days old and lives up to her name.