Births at the Lago di Vico Breeding Center

For the 2025 season, five individuals have been born and are destined for release into the wild! Continuing the alphabetical naming system started with the first chick in 2022, the first three born are Diego, Drusilla, and Duna, followed about a month later by Donato and Dafne. This is an exceptional and unprecedented result—five chicks born from breeding pairs! Sadly, two other chicks did not survive, but the overall outcome remains extraordinary: the pairs are finally yielding the fruits of years of work, selection, and care in managing the adult breeders.

All individuals are included in the hacking program, a process that guides them from total dependence to full autonomy. In the early days after fledging, younger birds quickly integrate with older siblings or more experienced individuals. This socialization phase is crucial: the young observe and imitate their more advanced companions, learning flight techniques, territorial defense, and danger recognition strategies. During their time in the hacking area, they progressively improve their flying and hunting skills while gradually reducing their interaction with human operators—marking the beginning of their transition to wild behavior.

Later, the young falcons begin exploratory flights, sometimes covering hundreds of kilometers. These journeys help them refine orientation skills, adapt to different habitats, and identify suitable areas for feeding and resting. The hacking process concludes with full independence: the birds become autonomous and competent predators, ready to settle into their natural environment.