Lucy

Name: Given to her by previous owner
Date in: 24 October 1998
Hatched: Spring 1984
Gender: Female
Age at arrival: 14 years
Came from: William Murphy, Watsonville, California

Story: Lucy, a full bred anatum, was bred at the University of California Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group (SCPBRG) by Brian Walton. She was transferred to John Moran, master falconer and hood maker, who worked for the breeding project there. He flew her for 3 years and she was an excellent falconry bird. While working with John, she starred in The Falcon and the Snowman with Timothy Hutton.

John Moran then returned Lucy to Brian at SCPBRG to be used for breeding purposes. It took a couple of years, but eventually Lucy picked a mate, and produced many beautiful eyasses for release.

In 1992 SCPBRG closed down its breeding program and transferred Lucy to William Murphy's breeding project. She bred there for 6 years. While there, 16 of her eyasses went to release projects and others to falconers and breeding programs. One of her sons produced 4 eyasses at Punta Gorda, CA in 1998. Another of her sons, a falconry bird, has won several sky trials.

In 1997, Lucy failed to lay any eggs, so she was used for fostering purposes in 1998. Each year, the Oakland Bay Bridge produced several eyasses that drowned while learning to fly. In 1998, 3 eyasses were removed and given to Lucy. She fostered them and they were released back into the wild. When Lucy failed to produced eggs again in 1998, William Murphy made the decision to place Lucy with an educational program.

Lucy never forgot her falconry training and has been a joy to handle, even though she had not been handled for many years prior to joining RROKI.