Ravensbeard has a new resident. He is a one-year-old male Peregrine-Saker cross falcon. A Peregrine-Saker cross is a hybrid falcon bred for falconry, combining the immense vertical diving speed of the Peregrine with the power, stamina, and horizontal hunting ability of the Saker. These hybrids, typically bred in captivity, are highly prized for their hunting prowess and are often used to hunt various game, including gulls and pigeons.
We named him Cowboy because of his legs being bowlegged. He came from a falconer who gave him up. Cowboy is ¾ Saker and ¼ Peregrine. He is not releasable because he was captive bred.
At first, he was shy and slow to warm up to handlers, but now he exhibits a great prey drive, eagerly snapping up any meat that is offered, which makes him trainable. He is a real live wire!
He will be put through the manning process - a crucial, initial process of acclimating a captive-bred raptor to human presence, reducing fear, and building trust. It involves spending hours with the bird on the glove, using food rewards, and exposing them to daily environments (noises, cars, people) to transition them from a fearful state to a calm, manageable partner. The whole process takes at least three months, spending time with the raptor every single day.
Ravensbeard has other birds that either came from a falconer or a breeder – a Harris Hawk and Ursala, the Eurasian Eagle Owl. Ursala is still going through the manning process.