Kalaw
Well-Known Member
Today, I visited my 37th zoological collection - the Hawk Conservancy Trust. As I am spending the weekend with maternal family members in rural Wiltshire, we decided to kick our October half-term into gear by spending the first day of the holiday at this decently sized birds of prey zoo in the area, one that I knew little about, but that the family members I was staying with were very eager to visit. While I was not sure what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised by this collection, and would strongly recommend a visit to all who find themselves in the area - an area that is also teeming with wildlife; indeed, it was while staying with family here that I saw my first ever European Badger, and I am indeed watching a badger while typing this.
The Review:
The Hawk Conservancy Trust lies just of the A303, a convenient location, as it allows for the zoo to be set in a rural setting all the while being easily accessible from nearby population centres such as Salisbury, Winchester and Southampton for those in travelling by car. When one arrives, they are greeted by an extensive gift shop and sanitary mats for avian influenza. Upon entry, you are offered free guidebooks, which I naturally accepted. The guidebook is of a decent quality, although it mostly focuses on the Trust's conservation projects (of which they perform many, certainly far more than I expected) and not the zoo itself.
Most of the aviaries are fairly simple, and as such, I will not exhaustively detail them. Assuming that you visit the collection in a clockwise direction, they house the following:
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
Wahlberg's Eagle (Hieraaetus wahlbergi) - one of the park's nicest rarities!
Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus)
Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug)
Striated Caracara (Phalcoboenus australis) - a pair of individuals, the oldest birds at the zoo.
Pearl-spotted Owlet (Glaucidium perlatum) - the rarest bird in European zoos housed here.
African White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus) sharing with
Eurasian Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus)
African Harrier-hawk (Polyboroides typus)
Black-chested Buzzard-eagle (Geranoaetus melanoleucus)
Verreaux's Eagle-owl (Bubo lacteus)
Waldrapp (Geronticus eremita)
Secretary Bird (Sagittarius serpentarius)
Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus)
Eurasian Long-eared Owl (Asio otus otus)
Southern Boobook (Ninox novaeseelandiae boobook)
Spectacled Owl (Pulsatrix perspicillata)
Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)*
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)*
more Striated Caracara (Phalcoboenus australis)
Northern Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) - another rarity in Europe!
more Verreaux's Eagle-owl (Bubo lacteus)
Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus tinnunculus)
more Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus)*
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)*
Variable Hawk (Geranoaetus polyosoma)
Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa lapponica)
Yellow-billed Kite (Milvus aegyptius parasitus)
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) sharing with
American Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
White-headed Vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis)
Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus)
Common Black Kite (Milvus migrans migrans)
Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus)
more African White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus)
European White Stork (Ciconia ciconia ciconia) in the largest aviary at the zoo.
more Eurasian Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus)
Eastern Siberian Eagle-owl (Bubo bubo yenisseensis) - another rarity!
more White-headed Vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis)
Eurasian Tawny Owl (Strix aluco)
Barn Owl (Tyto alba)
African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer)
more Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Steller's Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus)
*These species (I imagine for training reasons) were not in aviaries, but instead perched on fully open logs and stalls.
Naturally, the vultures, eagles and storks were all housed in very spacious, tall and impressive aviaries that were above the average standard for zoos, while the smaller birds were housed in smaller and less memorable aviaries, all mostly identical. They were certainly not bad, but were, for the most part, very forgettable.
However, that is far from all at the Hawk Conservancy Trust, and a few areas are worth addressing individually.
The first of these is also the first exhibit that you are presented with upon entering the collection: 'Meet the Burrowers.' This is home to Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia), and it comprises a pair of very large desert-themed aviaries each housing a very large group of these fascinating owls, with an additional few off-show areas and an equally sizeable aviary used during encounters. The signage here is impeccable, going into unparalleled levels of detail about their lifestyle and behaviour. There were countless viewing options, through both mesh and glass, which resulted in a very photographer-friendly exhibit. Why the zoo went to such an extent to create a memorable complex for such a small species is beyond me, but it worked an absolute dream and was a good first impression for the collection.
Between the harrier-hawks and the buzzard-eagles is the rather out of place Mediterranean Miniature Donkey (Equus africanus familiaris asinus), who serve as a homage to the zoo's history. During its early days, when the collection was less specialised and popular than it is now, donkeys were kept at the so-called 'Weyhill Zoo' generated most of its funds from donkey rides. When it decided to specialise in birds of prey and changed its name to 'the Hawk Conservancy Trust,' the donkeys were maintained to honour the history. It is a nice touch, although can be perplexing for those who don't read the historical signage.
However, the main reason to visit the Hawk Conservancy Trust is beyond a doubt the three flying presentations that take place across the day: Wings of Africa, the Valley of Eagles and Woodland Owls.
Wings of Africa:
Taking place at 11:30 in the so-called 'Savannah Arena,' it is the earliest flight show of the day and the closest to the entrance. The show commences with a single male African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) circling the enclosure three times, each of which culminates with a keeper throwing a piece of food up in the air for the eagle two catch. It was successful on two of those occasions. This is followed by a female Verreaux's Eagle-owl (Bubo lacteus), who is encouraged to fly between keepers at various different points to obtain food. The low height at which the owl swoops is spectacular, if a little terrifying from the perspective of the visitors, who regularly have to duck in order to give the animal room.
This was followed by a similarly low-swooping Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus), who was later joined by an African White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus). The keepers explained in great detail the dynamic between the hooded vultures (among the smallest in Africa), and the African white-backed vultures (among the largest), which was very interesting to hear alongside the performance. The discussions given about vulture conservation was fascinating, and it was very nice to see how passionate all the keepers clearly were about it.
The finale to the show was truly spectacular. It involved four Yellow-billed Kite (Milvus aegyptius parasitus), a pair of European White Stork (Ciconia ciconia ciconia) and a single Waldrapp (Geronticus eremita) loop around the arena for at least five minutes, during which time it was impossible to know which direction to look in. On my visit, the wildlife-richness of the area really benefitted the talk, as a wild Red Kite (a decently common sighting in England) appeared and flew alongside their yellow-billed cousins from Africa (I am informed that such an event happens very regularly here), and the whole show was genuinely incredible. I left feeling very pleased and enthusiastic for the next show.
Valley of Eagles:
Ten minutes before the presentation's commencement at 2:00, a male Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) was already circling Reg's Wildflower Meadow, a multi-hectare arena where this presentation takes place. This was followed by one of the most spectacular sights of the day - a Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus). Thus followed an extremely entertaining presentation in which a staff member attached a meal to a piece of rope and swang it in the air while the falcon flew up and dove to capture it. The keeper would attempt to delay the falcon's success for as long as possible, while another keeper gave a commentary about the way in which the animals naturally hunt. It was tremendous fun to watch, and the falcon's eventual success was was very entertaining.
After this, a male Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) lapped the arena. As I understand it, this event used to be far grander in scale, with the eagles being released nearly a kilometer away and allowed to explore the nearby valley as they return to the arena (indeed, that is the reason for this talk's name). Unfortunately, due to recent hostility from native buzzards, the zoo no longer does this, however the animal was still a joy to watch in flight. However, the flight show was only just getting started.
Yet again, Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus) and African White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus) flew alongside each other, with the difference this time being the numbers - there were no less than four hooded vultures. Additionally, as much of the viewing area is raised, and the individuals being flown this time are far more curious, they would swoop mere inches above the heads of their spectators, forcing them to duck down on separate occasions. In one instance, I felt the wing feathers of a hooded vulture skim my neck. It was an incredible experience, as was what came next.
A group of ten Common Black Kite (Milvus migrans migrans) appeared, circling the arena at phenomenal speeds and catching their food, which was fired at incredible heights using what the keepers referred to as a catapult. There were multiple occasions upon which a pair of kites grabbed onto the same item of food, and began competing over it as they fell to the floor. The contest ended when one of the kites realised how dangerously close the ground was and surrendered the meal. It was very impressive to watch, culminating when three treats were hurled into the air at once, prompting three kites to lunge in and grab it before dispersing and vanishing into the meadow. After this, an Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) appeared, flew to an outstanding height and distance, and then lunged back at phenomenal speed, landing on a keeper's arm. That signalled the end of what was surely the greatest flight display which I had ever beheld in a zoo.
Woodland Owls:
At 3:45, we went to the Woodland Arena to watch a decidedly different display. Instead of the grand scale of the previous two shows, Woodland Owls focuses exclusively on, as you can probably imagine, owls. As I visited in October, a somewhat frustrating Halloween theme was present, so I will not describe the exact events of the talk, but it was nonetheless spectacular to watch the agility of these species as they weaved in between the trees across the arena. The species in question were Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa lapponica), Eurasian Tawny Owl (Strix aluco), Barn Owl (Tyto alba) and, beyond doubt the highlight, the Eastern Siberian Eagle-owl (Bubo bubo yenisseensis), a massive subspecies that is very rare in European zoos.
After the talk, we returned to the entrance and departed. It is worth noting that the International Bird of Prey Hospital is located at the Hawk Conservancy Trust. It can look after two hundred birds of prey at once and has state-of-the-art facilities.
Something that I noted on my visit was the extremely friendly staff team, who were obviously passionate about birds of prey and would sometimes describe their childhood memories of visiting the Trust. The ambience to the wooded setting is incredible and the signage is of the highest quality that I have ever seen. It is a small zoo, but nonetheless a very enjoyable one, that I would strongly recommend you visit if you find yourself nearby. It is one of my favourite specialist collections in the UK to date, comparable to Crocodiles of the World, although quite a margin behind Highland Wildlife Park on my UK zoo rankings. I thoroughly enjoyed my day!
The Review:
The Hawk Conservancy Trust lies just of the A303, a convenient location, as it allows for the zoo to be set in a rural setting all the while being easily accessible from nearby population centres such as Salisbury, Winchester and Southampton for those in travelling by car. When one arrives, they are greeted by an extensive gift shop and sanitary mats for avian influenza. Upon entry, you are offered free guidebooks, which I naturally accepted. The guidebook is of a decent quality, although it mostly focuses on the Trust's conservation projects (of which they perform many, certainly far more than I expected) and not the zoo itself.
Most of the aviaries are fairly simple, and as such, I will not exhaustively detail them. Assuming that you visit the collection in a clockwise direction, they house the following:
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
Wahlberg's Eagle (Hieraaetus wahlbergi) - one of the park's nicest rarities!
Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus)
Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug)
Striated Caracara (Phalcoboenus australis) - a pair of individuals, the oldest birds at the zoo.
Pearl-spotted Owlet (Glaucidium perlatum) - the rarest bird in European zoos housed here.
African White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus) sharing with
Eurasian Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus)
African Harrier-hawk (Polyboroides typus)
Black-chested Buzzard-eagle (Geranoaetus melanoleucus)
Verreaux's Eagle-owl (Bubo lacteus)
Waldrapp (Geronticus eremita)
Secretary Bird (Sagittarius serpentarius)
Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus)
Eurasian Long-eared Owl (Asio otus otus)
Southern Boobook (Ninox novaeseelandiae boobook)
Spectacled Owl (Pulsatrix perspicillata)
Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)*
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)*
more Striated Caracara (Phalcoboenus australis)
Northern Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) - another rarity in Europe!
more Verreaux's Eagle-owl (Bubo lacteus)
Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus tinnunculus)
more Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus)*
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)*
Variable Hawk (Geranoaetus polyosoma)
Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa lapponica)
Yellow-billed Kite (Milvus aegyptius parasitus)
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) sharing with
American Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
White-headed Vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis)
Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus)
Common Black Kite (Milvus migrans migrans)
Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus)
more African White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus)
European White Stork (Ciconia ciconia ciconia) in the largest aviary at the zoo.
more Eurasian Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus)
Eastern Siberian Eagle-owl (Bubo bubo yenisseensis) - another rarity!
more White-headed Vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis)
Eurasian Tawny Owl (Strix aluco)
Barn Owl (Tyto alba)
African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer)
more Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Steller's Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus)
*These species (I imagine for training reasons) were not in aviaries, but instead perched on fully open logs and stalls.
Naturally, the vultures, eagles and storks were all housed in very spacious, tall and impressive aviaries that were above the average standard for zoos, while the smaller birds were housed in smaller and less memorable aviaries, all mostly identical. They were certainly not bad, but were, for the most part, very forgettable.
However, that is far from all at the Hawk Conservancy Trust, and a few areas are worth addressing individually.
The first of these is also the first exhibit that you are presented with upon entering the collection: 'Meet the Burrowers.' This is home to Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia), and it comprises a pair of very large desert-themed aviaries each housing a very large group of these fascinating owls, with an additional few off-show areas and an equally sizeable aviary used during encounters. The signage here is impeccable, going into unparalleled levels of detail about their lifestyle and behaviour. There were countless viewing options, through both mesh and glass, which resulted in a very photographer-friendly exhibit. Why the zoo went to such an extent to create a memorable complex for such a small species is beyond me, but it worked an absolute dream and was a good first impression for the collection.
Between the harrier-hawks and the buzzard-eagles is the rather out of place Mediterranean Miniature Donkey (Equus africanus familiaris asinus), who serve as a homage to the zoo's history. During its early days, when the collection was less specialised and popular than it is now, donkeys were kept at the so-called 'Weyhill Zoo' generated most of its funds from donkey rides. When it decided to specialise in birds of prey and changed its name to 'the Hawk Conservancy Trust,' the donkeys were maintained to honour the history. It is a nice touch, although can be perplexing for those who don't read the historical signage.
However, the main reason to visit the Hawk Conservancy Trust is beyond a doubt the three flying presentations that take place across the day: Wings of Africa, the Valley of Eagles and Woodland Owls.
Wings of Africa:
Taking place at 11:30 in the so-called 'Savannah Arena,' it is the earliest flight show of the day and the closest to the entrance. The show commences with a single male African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) circling the enclosure three times, each of which culminates with a keeper throwing a piece of food up in the air for the eagle two catch. It was successful on two of those occasions. This is followed by a female Verreaux's Eagle-owl (Bubo lacteus), who is encouraged to fly between keepers at various different points to obtain food. The low height at which the owl swoops is spectacular, if a little terrifying from the perspective of the visitors, who regularly have to duck in order to give the animal room.
This was followed by a similarly low-swooping Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus), who was later joined by an African White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus). The keepers explained in great detail the dynamic between the hooded vultures (among the smallest in Africa), and the African white-backed vultures (among the largest), which was very interesting to hear alongside the performance. The discussions given about vulture conservation was fascinating, and it was very nice to see how passionate all the keepers clearly were about it.
The finale to the show was truly spectacular. It involved four Yellow-billed Kite (Milvus aegyptius parasitus), a pair of European White Stork (Ciconia ciconia ciconia) and a single Waldrapp (Geronticus eremita) loop around the arena for at least five minutes, during which time it was impossible to know which direction to look in. On my visit, the wildlife-richness of the area really benefitted the talk, as a wild Red Kite (a decently common sighting in England) appeared and flew alongside their yellow-billed cousins from Africa (I am informed that such an event happens very regularly here), and the whole show was genuinely incredible. I left feeling very pleased and enthusiastic for the next show.
Valley of Eagles:
Ten minutes before the presentation's commencement at 2:00, a male Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) was already circling Reg's Wildflower Meadow, a multi-hectare arena where this presentation takes place. This was followed by one of the most spectacular sights of the day - a Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus). Thus followed an extremely entertaining presentation in which a staff member attached a meal to a piece of rope and swang it in the air while the falcon flew up and dove to capture it. The keeper would attempt to delay the falcon's success for as long as possible, while another keeper gave a commentary about the way in which the animals naturally hunt. It was tremendous fun to watch, and the falcon's eventual success was was very entertaining.
After this, a male Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) lapped the arena. As I understand it, this event used to be far grander in scale, with the eagles being released nearly a kilometer away and allowed to explore the nearby valley as they return to the arena (indeed, that is the reason for this talk's name). Unfortunately, due to recent hostility from native buzzards, the zoo no longer does this, however the animal was still a joy to watch in flight. However, the flight show was only just getting started.
Yet again, Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus) and African White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus) flew alongside each other, with the difference this time being the numbers - there were no less than four hooded vultures. Additionally, as much of the viewing area is raised, and the individuals being flown this time are far more curious, they would swoop mere inches above the heads of their spectators, forcing them to duck down on separate occasions. In one instance, I felt the wing feathers of a hooded vulture skim my neck. It was an incredible experience, as was what came next.
A group of ten Common Black Kite (Milvus migrans migrans) appeared, circling the arena at phenomenal speeds and catching their food, which was fired at incredible heights using what the keepers referred to as a catapult. There were multiple occasions upon which a pair of kites grabbed onto the same item of food, and began competing over it as they fell to the floor. The contest ended when one of the kites realised how dangerously close the ground was and surrendered the meal. It was very impressive to watch, culminating when three treats were hurled into the air at once, prompting three kites to lunge in and grab it before dispersing and vanishing into the meadow. After this, an Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) appeared, flew to an outstanding height and distance, and then lunged back at phenomenal speed, landing on a keeper's arm. That signalled the end of what was surely the greatest flight display which I had ever beheld in a zoo.
Woodland Owls:
At 3:45, we went to the Woodland Arena to watch a decidedly different display. Instead of the grand scale of the previous two shows, Woodland Owls focuses exclusively on, as you can probably imagine, owls. As I visited in October, a somewhat frustrating Halloween theme was present, so I will not describe the exact events of the talk, but it was nonetheless spectacular to watch the agility of these species as they weaved in between the trees across the arena. The species in question were Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa lapponica), Eurasian Tawny Owl (Strix aluco), Barn Owl (Tyto alba) and, beyond doubt the highlight, the Eastern Siberian Eagle-owl (Bubo bubo yenisseensis), a massive subspecies that is very rare in European zoos.
After the talk, we returned to the entrance and departed. It is worth noting that the International Bird of Prey Hospital is located at the Hawk Conservancy Trust. It can look after two hundred birds of prey at once and has state-of-the-art facilities.
Something that I noted on my visit was the extremely friendly staff team, who were obviously passionate about birds of prey and would sometimes describe their childhood memories of visiting the Trust. The ambience to the wooded setting is incredible and the signage is of the highest quality that I have ever seen. It is a small zoo, but nonetheless a very enjoyable one, that I would strongly recommend you visit if you find yourself nearby. It is one of my favourite specialist collections in the UK to date, comparable to Crocodiles of the World, although quite a margin behind Highland Wildlife Park on my UK zoo rankings. I thoroughly enjoyed my day!
