WISPA

Lanner/Saker Hybrid Falcon - Falco biamarcus x F. cherrug

A favourite bird, both of the staff & volunteers at the Raptor Foundation and our visitors, Wispa was a brilliant member of the flying team, guaranteed to wow the crowd. Unfortunately Wispa died in October 2003 & has been laid to rest in our new courtyard.

Wispa was a hybrid Falcon, a cross between a Lanner Falcon and a Saker Falcon. Wispa was hatched in 1996. Named after the chocolate bar, he was originally bought by the staff of Cadbury-Schweppes as a leaving present for their Chairman at the time. Wispa was housed at The Raptor Foundation, while both he and the Ex-Chairman were trained. Unfortunately the man was unable to continue with flying the bird and Wispa became a permanent resident of The Raptor Foundation.

Hybrid falcons do not occur naturally in the wild, they are created by falconers. Each of the species of falcon has qualities that are admired by falconers, due to a phenomenon known as "hybrid vigour", these qualities tend to show strongly when cross-breeding the birds. In Wispa's case, the Lanner is a very agile falcon and the Saker is a large falcon.

INCA

Mexican Striped Owl - Asio clamator

Inca was brought to us in 1994 at a very young age, with an ear infection. Her head was tilted upside down, as she had lost her sense of balance; but we were able to treat her infection and nurse her back to health. Since then she has been trained to fly and we believe that she was the first free-flying Mexican Striped owl in the country. Inca was particularly strong willed and decided who was allowed to handle her, but loved by us all regardless.

The Mexican Striped Owl was, until recently, considered to be the only owl of the Rhinoptynx genus. By modern DNA test techniques, it is now believed that it belongs to the Asio genus, being a close relation to the Long-Eared Owls found in the UK.