Saker Falcon

Falco cherrug

With a wingspan of over 40 inches and a weight surpassing 2.5 pounds, the Saker Falcon is one of the largest falcons in the world. Found primarily in open, dry habitats of Northern Europe and Asia, these fast and powerful birds utilize their gravity-fueled stoops with speeds in excess of 100mph to capture quarry primarily comprised of ground mammals and ground nesting birds such as partridge and quail. As with most falcons, the Saker has a long, narrow wing and a noticeably longer tail for navigation. Their heads are largely whitish in appearance with the typical falcon “moustache” under the eye to absorb sunlight and reduce glare. This species is highly prized by Arab falconers who may actually be causing declines in the species by removing large numbers of birds (including breeding aged females) from the wild yearly during migration.

The Center’s trained Sakeret (male Saker) was bred in captivity in the UK in 1999 and was moved to the US in 2000. Following a season or two of training and flying for demonstrations, he was placed in a captive breeding program. Unfortunately, he did not show much interest in breeding and thus was returned to the Center in 2006 to again be utilized for education. Currently, he is participating in demonstrations both on the ICBP campus and at off site locations. His aerial rolls and high speed stoops often produce audible gasps from amazed audiences of all ages.