white Saker Falcon trapped in Mongolia

“In late summer/early autumn of 2006 a team of falcon trappers caught a magnificent white falcon in western Mongolia. The plumage of the bird as pure white, the skin of the legs, toes, eyes and cere were yellow, whilst the culmen of the beak and the claws had a pinkish hue. … According to postings on the Falcon Forum website [www.falconryforum.co.uk] this bird was bought by a Kuwaiti Sheik for $330,000 and was expected to gift the bird to the King of Kuwait. However, the latest news is that the bird was taken to Morocco on a hunting expedition and flew well, catching a number of Houbaras before it was eventually lost.”

source: Anonymous 2007. Leucistic Saker Falcon trapped in Mongolia. FALCO. The Newsletter of the Middle East Falcon Research Group 29 (spring 2007): 39. - Previous issues of FALCO can be downloaded from the MEFRG website.

The short report includes three colour photographs of the bird. Unfortunately, neither information on the identity of the trappers, nor on the legal status of their actions is given in the note.

The Saker Falcon is considered globally threatened (2006 IUCN Red List Category: Endangered). See BirdLife International's Species Factsheet.

Houbara Bustard is globally threatened too (Vulnerable). See BirdLife International's Species Factsheet.