The first four Lanner Falcon chicks of the 2026 breeding season have hatched!

They are two males and two females, born from the captive pairs managed at the Ente Monti Cimini – Lago di Vico Nature Reserve, the coordinating beneficiary of the LIFE LANNER project.

As per tradition, this year’s names follow the alphabetical order that began with the first chick born in 2022: please welcome Edna, Emma, Elia and Ettore.

The hatching and growth of the chicks are monitored daily by the project staff, with the support of the CRAS Lago di Vico team. The young falcons are raised through social imprinting, a key approach to prepare them for life in the wild.

This process includes a gradual release using the controlled hacking technique, which allows the juveniles to reach full independence after they voluntarily leave the area where they learn to fly and hunt.

But how does this method actually work?

➡️ To learn more, you can explore every step in the “Guidelines on the application of hacking techniques for the Lanner Falcon and other species”: a comprehensive document that illustrates the work carried out and the technical choices behind the project.

To download it, please click here!