"Tegan"- Female Peregrine Falcon
"Tegan" is female Peregrine Falcon, hatched in 2000. Peregrines are the largest falcon found resident in the UK & are capable of speeds of over 240mph. The Peregrine is the fastest living animal on the planet & they prey mainly on other birds.
Watch how "Tegan" takes the lure in the air upon returning, simulating catching her prey on the wing. A truly thrilling visual sensation. Headstrong & aloof, she knows she is in charge of proceedings.
"Rocky"- Male Lanner (Lanneret) Falcon
"Rocky" is now an established member of the flying team & was hatched in 2008.
Wild Lanner Falcons are found in the Mediterranean & into Africa.
"Rocky" is perhaps not as fast as a peregrine, but what he lacks in speed, he makes up in his turning ability. He made his first appearance & was the star at England's Medieval Festival in 2010 and now is flown to music at many events. A joy to watch on the wing.
"Trigger"- Male Harris Hawk
"Trigger" was hatched in 1999 & until year a few years ago, entertained customers at London & Whipsnade Zoo. He was retired to the country to join the team & still flies daily at shows. He is the main bird used for flying experiences & at school presentations.
Harris Hawks are the most popular bird of prey used in falconry because they are so intelligent. They hunt in packs in the wild & are commonly known as "Wolves of the Air". "Trigger" has his own pack & lives with 3 female hunting Harris Hawks, "Bonnie", "Claudia" & "Grumble".
"Tiny"- Female European Eagle Owl
"Tiny" is the largest of the flying team & weighs in at a hefty 7 pounds 6 oz. With a 6 foot wingspan, she is a truly formidable sight on the wing. She was hatched in 2001.
Capable of catching small deer in the wild "Tiny" only has one minor problem, she does not like dogs!
Handling "Tiny" has always proved popular with experiences & takes some doing. Still found wild in Europe, these owls have been sighted in the Midlands for many years, although they are not considered to be a British Owl.
"Charlie" - Male Turkmenian Eagle Owl
"Charlie" really does have a very simple mind of his own & was hatched in 2007. Donated to Steven Charlton Falconry after his owner fell ill, he really has been hard work to train. Big orange eyes are his best defining feature & he is adored by all who see him
Turkmenian Eagle Owls are slightly smaller than the European Eagle Owl & are also found
in various countries in Europe.
"Pee Wee"- Male Tawny Owl
"Pee Wee" is the oldest member of the team & was hatched in 1996. This is very old for a Tawny Owl as in the wild they would probably live until about the age of 5 - 6 years because of the rigours of survival.
Tawny Owls are the most common owl in the UK but are rarely seen because of their nocturnal habits. Tawny Owls prey on small birds, rodents & even small fish in the wild.
"Fidget"- Male Barn Owl
"Fidget" is exactly what his name says, a Fidget! Never stops calling or moving around or talking. "Fidget" was hand reared from the age of 10 days. He was hatched in 2008.
Barn Owls are the most widely distributed land based bird on the planet & are found everywhere except the poles. Unfortunately Barn Owls are not doing very well in the United Kingdom because of lack of habitat.
"Zazu"- Male Common Buzzard
Very vocal, "Zazu" is a fairly recent addition to the flying team. Hatched in 2007, he is often used in demonstrations & is coming along just nicely. He took a while to learn what he had to do & will one day take over from "Trigger", when he is retired completely.
Buzzards are a regular sight across the UK these days & have recovered well from years gone by. Often seen high up on the soar they feed on a variety of things & will readily consume carrion.
"Merrick"- Female Red Tail Hawk
A formidable hunting bird from the United States of America, "Merrick" excels at catching Grey Squirrels in woodlands around Sussex. She was hatched in 1998. Very adaptable they can occupy open plains & woodland.
A larger supercharged version of our Common Buzzard, Red Tail Hawks are the most common hawk found in North America.
As you can see they get their name from their vibrant Red Tail, which occurs after their first moult.
"Rodney"- American Kestrel
The smallest of the team, "Rodney" joined Sussex Falconry in 2011 & is only a year old. Incorrectly called Sparrowhawks in America, they are in fact miniature falcons similar to the European Kestrel, but a lot smaller (Kestrels are the birds you often find hovering on the edges of roads).
Kestrels belong to the same group of birds as the Peregrine Falcon. Brightly coloured little birds, they weigh in at a hefty 100gms & prey on small rodents, small birds & insects in the wild.
"Google" - Ural Owl
"Google" is still only a chick in this photograph (hatched April 2011 & only 6 weeks old at time of adding to the website on 06/06/2011) & is a Ural Owl. As she gets older her baby plumage will change & in no time she will be one of the most beautiful owls you are ever likely to see.
Found mainly in Northern Europe & into Siberia, Ural Owls are considerably larger than Tawny Owls although they do look very similiar.
Ural Owls in the wild feed mainly on small mammals & can be very aggressive to intruders who approach to close to their nests.
"Google" has a new friend (30/10/2011) - a male Ural Owl called "Jeeves".
"Google" in juvenile plumage.
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"Bing" - Burrowing Owl
Collected at the same time as "Google", "Bing" is the smallest owl in the collection. In this picture he is only 16 days old (hatched in May 2011) & only 4 inches tall & will grow only to approximately 8 inchs tall as an adult. As his species name suggests these owls burrow in the ground, but often use abandoned rabbit or prairie dog burrows.
They often nest on golf courses & are quite approachable little owls. Found in the Americas this species of owl is one of the many, that are active in daylight hours. Photographs will be added as both "Bing" & "Google" develop over the years to come.
"Bing" in juvenile plumage.
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