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Genetics matters.
Gyrfalcons don’t come cheap, and probably never will. When you invest many thousands in a
white gyrkin, would you like to know whether or not its progeny will be white?
We thought you would. Some of the whitest gyrfalcons in the world got that way by
line breeding (a technique used by many breeders of all kinds of animals) which
involves mating related individuals. This is acceptable up to a point. But taken too
far, negative traits begin to present themselves. This is what led many North American
falconers to assume that an Ungava Bay gyr would die “the minute you looked at it.” Our
most coveted lines have been outcrossed for hardiness, while still retaining the
“white-on-white” genetic background.
Many of our breeders were selected based on field performance. It is no secret that
falconry “wash-outs” appear all too often in breeding projects. Let’s not forget why
we spend the time and money: these birds are our hunting companions. We are keenly
aware of the fact that you count on us to produce a bird that is aggressive on game
and spectacularly beautiful.
Here’s to the hunt.
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