MORE exciting news this week at the Lake District Wildlife Park. For those of you who haven’t visited the park recently, you will not know about our amazing new eagle.
In the darkness and cold of winter during the first week of February, a Chilean blue eagle arrived.
The young female bird was domestically bred at Huntley Falconry in Scotland.
She was specifically bred to fly as a display bird in a bird of prey centre to raise awareness about conservation all over the world.
After the Park had their new bird for a while and worked out her personality and character, her keepers started to look for a name.
They asked for suggestions to be sent in and after lots of fantastic names, it was decided that the one that suited her best was Saphira.
Chilean blue eagles begin their moult cycle at one-year-old. It does however take four years for them to have grow their full adult plumage when their feathers are a slate blue colour. This is how they get the name Chilean blue.
Saphira is still in her speckled juvenile plumage, however she is still a striking bird.
Saphira now features in some of the daily Bird of Prey displays at the Park, but she has had to build up to this gradually.
Her experienced bird keepers Michaela and Richard have spent the last six months building up her fitness by gradually flying her over greater distances.
They have also had to work on her phobia of sheep! This was achieved by walking her on the glove up to the friendly Soay sheep where she could just sit and observe them at a safe distance.
With time she soon realised that the sheep were actually okay, and of no harm to her.
Her true personality began to show through after a few months; she is curious and playful.
She will hold the end of her leash for her bird keepers, and she also likes to chew their caps and do a bit of hairdressing for them!
As her training continues it is hoped that she will become an amazing display bird and raise lots of awareness for not only this species of eagle but many others such as the white-tailed eagle.
So if you are a fan of birds or would like to meet Saphira, next time you visit the Park don’t forget to ask about her.
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