The show arena at the zoo consists of the large paddock you can see in the picture, the vegetated part on the center is actually a large pool with a hiding spot for the falconers and other surprises (They somehow manage to fit a horse in it). Other than paid experiences to fly large birds of prey this area is used for a "scientific speech" as well as the zoo's diurnal birds of prey show, "El Lago del Tiempo". The scientific speech consists of an introduction to birds of prey as well as an explanation of some of the research activities the institution does, with the only animal used being the park's tame Steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis).
The "El Lago del Tiempo" demonstration uses almost all the birds you can see on aviaries and perches in the main park, alongside some domestic companions to the falconers. The show is very creative in some of its aspects and the park uses several aspects you very rarely see in a bird show (They simulate how Harris' hawks hunt by using a remote-controlled car dressed up as a rabbit!) and it's quite unique, but I'd wish it was more educative (In some cases some of the species that were shown in the demonstration didn't even get their species name mentioned). The show has 10 acts and these are the species shown in it:
- Domestic dog (Canis familiaris), Steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis), Black-chested buzzard-eagle (Geranoaetus melanoleucus) and Manchurian golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos daphanea)
- Dromedary (Camelus dromedarius), Crested caracara (Caracara plancus) and Iberian raven (Corvus corax hispanus)
- Domestic horse (Equus ferus caballus) and South European peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus brookei)
- Saker falcon (Falco cherrug) and Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus)
- Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) and White-tailed sea eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)
- Harris’ hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus)
- Red-legged seriema (Cariama cristata)
- Stirated caracara (Phalcoboenus australis)
- Iberian raven (Corvus corax hispanus), Western Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus percnopterus) and Western Eurasian griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus fulvus)
- Domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica), Eastern grey-crowned crane (Balearica regulorum gibbericeps), Abdim's stork (Ciconia abdimii), European white stork (Ciconia ciconia ciconia), Yellow-billed stork (Mycteria ibis), Scarlet ibis (Eudocimus ruber), Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta), Black kite (Milvus migrans migrans), Red kite (Milvus milvus milvus), Palm-nut vulture (Gypohierax angolensis) and Crested caracara (Caracara plancus)
Turns out the steppe eagle mentioned in this and the following post is actually a Tawny eagle (Aquila rapax). The park obtained the animal back when it was considered a subspecies of the steppe eagle, Aquila nipalensis rapax, and hasn't bothered to stop referring to it as such.
