Endangered Lappet-faced Vultures are on the brink of losing critical breeding opportunities in Kruger National Park. Breeding territories depend on a handful of key nest trees, yet elephants are destroying these trees at an alarming rate. Our monitoring has highlighted just how scarce these nest trees have become. With so few trees remaining, and the slow breeding cycle of Lappet-faced Vultures, the urgency to act is clear, and we think we might have the solution to protect these trees. Although Kruger National Park is home to one of the largest remaining populations of Lappet-faced Vultures in southern Africa, we estimate […]
We’re delighted to introduce brand new Bird Team member Leainya to the Hawk Conservancy Trust! Her passion for birds of prey was sparked by visits to the Trust from a young age, so it’s wonderful to welcome her to the team. We’re sure you’ll give her a warm welcome on your next visit! “Hello! My name is Leainya and I am so excited to have joined the Bird Team this September! It was a visit to the Trust when I was 12 that cemented my interest in birds of prey, so much so that I was lucky enough to volunteer […]
Last week, we said a fond farewell to our 2025 Conservation and Research Intern, Sorcha. Over her five month placement with us, generously funded by the Cameron Bespolka Trust, Sorcha has supported much of our work, including our onsite biodiversity, bird of prey population and small mammal population surveys. Plus, she even supported ringing Kestrel chicks as part of our Raptor Nest Box Project! “Unfortunately, my time here at the Hawk Conservancy Trust has come to an end. These past five months have been absolutely jam-packed and I’m not sure where to begin, but I will try my best to describe some of the […]
Have a Hawk Conservancy Trust Halloween! Over the October half term (Saturday 25 October – Sunday 2 November) enjoy an autumnal day out in the Hampshire countryside, surrounded by the beauty of nature as the seasons change, and our beautiful birds swooping and soaring overhead. PLUS spooky added extras for this week only – all included in your ticket price! Spooky Owl Show If you go down to the woods this week, you’re in for a spooky surprise! During October half term only, our Woodland Wonders flying display transforms into our special Spooky Owl Show. Bring the family along to […]
Migration is one of the riskiest times in a bird’s life, and sadly, many migratory species are seeing their numbers drop. One such species is the Egyptian Vulture, the only true migrant among the Old World vultures, and currently listed as Endangered. These remarkable birds come in two populations: one spread across Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, and the other in central and south Asia. Protecting migratory birds is not an easy task. They face a range of threats depending on where they are, be that where they are breeding, where they are spending the winter, or where they […]
After taking a break from flying in our displays, White-headed Vulture Mamba is coming back onto the scene under the wing of Bird Team member Ryan! But instead of flying solo, there’s hopes that romance will blossom for Mamba and fellow vulture, Ravenclaw. Having now trained both of them, Ryan is keen for the pairing to work out! “A year with Mamba… It has been nearly a year now since Mamba, one of our spectacular White-headed Vultures, has been under my wing (pun intended). Mamba has been no stranger to our flying demonstrations in the past, but over the past couple […]
This year, for the very first time, we have had a live stream into one of the Kestrel nest boxes, which is part of our Raptor Nest Box Project. We have run this project since 2008, growing from an initial 38 boxes to around 1600 now! We have boxes for Barn Owls, Tawny Owls, Little Owls and Kestrels. There is a unique kind of joy that comes from watching a live camera positioned on a nest, like you have been the only person invited to look into a normally hidden world that no one else can see. Watching new life […]
Flying in from Wales, we’re excited to welcome Bird Team member Poppy to the Trust. With a lifelong passion for birds of prey, conservation and education, she moved all the way to Hampshire to join our team after working with birds of prey for five years in Carmarthen. Read more about Poppy below. ” Hello! My name is Poppy, and I’m thrilled to have recently joined the team here at the Hawk Conservancy Trust! Originally from Carmarthenshire in South Wales, I’ve made the big move to Andover to follow a lifelong passion for birds of prey, conservation, and education. My […]
Our Marion Paviour Award winner for 2024, Kioko has been busy in the field, with him and his team making great headway. Kioko’s project aims to reduce human-wildlife conflict and protect critically endangered vulture populations in Laikipia, Kenya. He is particularly focusing on engaging local communities and collaborating with them as a way to achieve his objectives. So far Kioko has made great progress, balancing research work in the field as well as engaging with local communities and forming positive relationships in these spaces. The team has established a growing Vulture Guardian network in local communities as well as rapid […]
We’re delighted to welcome a second intern into our Conservation, Education and Research Team! Meet Aderyn, our Conservation Education Intern, who joined us in May to support our education delivery. In her first month, she’s already been supporting school visits with welcome talks and workshops – read below to hear more about her time so far. We are grateful to the Cameron Bespolka Trust for funding this Internship. “Hello, my name is Aderyn, and this spring I had the pleasure of starting at the Hawk Conservancy Trust as the Conservation Education Intern! I have been working with children for 10 […]
