El Huayco

"What're You Lookin At??" Says this Immature Black Hawk-Eagle.

"I'm a lookin at YOU!!" Replies this monstrous Harpy Eagle.

Peregrine Falcon (Notice the unusual Piebald color pattern)

The high point of my trip to Peru was the opportunity to meet Jose Antonio Otero Corbetto, and to tour his breeding facility outside Lima. The name of his facility is El Huayco. It is a center for reproduction and rehabilitation for the raptors of Peru. Here is the link to his webpage:

http://www.elhuayco.com/

Juvenile Harris Hawk

(These birds are bred for falconry)

Jose has been flying falconry birds for over 30 years. His intense interest led him to begin breeding many of the South American species that are popularly used in the sport. His successes at breeding and raptor husbandry also opened opportunities for him to provide rehabilitation for the wild injured and ill birds of his country. Peru has many vastly different climates, from desert-like beaches and plains, such as where the Nazca Lines are found, to some of the highest mountains in South America along the spine of the Andes Mountains, to hot and steamy jungles in the Amazon basin. Raptors occupy all of these environments, pursuing the various feathered and furred quarry so abundant in many of these remote locations.

Cassini Peregrine Falcon
(These birds are bred for falconry)

Everywhere that falconry is practiced, there is a native falcon to fill that nitch. Or rather, wherever there are falcons to be found, humans have longed for a relationship with these exquisite creatures. The Peregrine falcon is one of the most wide spread of raptors, with sub-species found throughout the world, and on every continent except Antarctica. The Cassini subspecies of this extensive family is the Peregrine of the Andes.

Black Hawk-Eagle

El Huayco has 100 mews, the name falconers use for a raptor's enclosure, many which provide paired birds with quiet privacy for breeding and raising their young. However, some of these mews are devoted to housing native species who for one reason or another cannot be returned to the jungles or deserts. Black and White Hawk Eagle

Black Chested Buzzard Eagle

Some birds, such as the one above, are housed with several birds of their kind, waiting for the opportunity when they will regain their freedom. This guy was incredibly curious about me, and fidgeted and footed his perch, twisting his head around. If the bars of his mews were not in the way, I'm pretty sure I would have had this bird bouncing off my head!
Bat Falcon
(These birds are bred for falconry)

You cannot get a sense of the perspective of this little falcon above, but it is a diminuative hunter, a little larger than a Merlin, named for the quarry of choice for this species . . . bats!

Andean Condor

Of all the birds at the facility, and with Jose's warning to be careful at the bars, this was the only bird that flew at me trying to grab at me. In history it is the king of the Peruvian raptors, a messenger between the gods and men. She was just insisting on my respect, this female displaying here, clicking her warning with her beak prior to launching at me!

White Hawk
The multiple hallways of mews circle around a central courtyard, a common structure in many Central and South American homes and buildings. The tropical sun does not waver much throughout the year, so the area around Lima, and much of Peru for that matter, does not have seasons like fall and winter, but rather a continual variety of summer separated into rainy and dry seasons. The grass in the courtyard grows thick and lush. There are several large enclosures with an incredible number of birds tied to their block perches. The inner courtyards also have many bow perches with birds tethered out, soaking up the noon-day sunshine peeking through the shade of the overhanging trees. Jose applogized to me that many of his birds were moulting, and were not in the peak of feather condition. I didn't notice, so very fascinated I was to see such a wide variety of species all in one location.
Ornate Hawk Eagle
I really liked the look of this bird! I have never seen a raptor that I did not find to be pleasing to the eye, but the particular patterns and colors to be found on this creature seem to come together in such a dramatic way.

Aplomado Falcon

(These birds are bred for falconry)

Immature Ornate Hawk Eagle

Even without all the spectacular colors of the adult, this is such a beautiful raptor! I wonder if they can be used in falconry. Not all raptors are suited for training. Despite the above bird being in a mews, I see there are anklets, so perhaps it has received some training.

Harpy Eagle

I'm thinking I'd be a bit afraid to have this bird on my fist, however Jose told me he was working with this bird, training him. It would be impressive to see such a majestic creature be flown on game. The feet on these birds are massive! I highly respect anyone willing to undertake the training of one.