Messinia Wild Experience
Costa Navarino presents its new “Messinia Wild Experience”, offering guests the opportunity to get up close with some of the world’s most fascinating birds of prey and enjoy not only a memorable but also an educational day.
Guests will have the chance to become acquainted with the raptors in a unique way… walking along the banks of the Selas river with one of the birds of prey on their arm. They will experience the thrill of seeing a free-flying raptor in its natural environment and have the opportunity to make a photo shoot or take a selfie.
To fully appreciate the distinctiveness of each species and admire their truly impressive abilities, our experienced raptor handlers aim to provide participants with a unique opportunity to interact with the birds.
A number of different programs are available so that guests can encounter owls or diurnal birds, including the magnificent steppe eagle, and even handle them under expert supervision.
Messinia Wild Experience is an ideal family activity and a great opportunity to discover the natural beauty of the Messinian countryside.
For further information and bookings, please contact messiniawild@costanavarino.com
Meet our birds…
Aphrodite, the Barn Owl
The barn owl (Tyto alba) is the most widely distributed species of owl and one of the most widespread of all birds. It is found almost everywhere in the world except polar and desert regions, Asia north of the Himalayas, most of Indonesia and some Pacific islands.
Their size varies considerably, from 33-39 cm (13 and 15 in) in length with wingspans ranging from 80 to 95 cm (31 to 37 in). The plumage on head and back is a mottled shade of grey or brown, while the underparts vary from white to brown and are sometimes speckled with dark markings. The face is characteristically heart-shaped and is white in most species.
Like most owls, the barn owl is nocturnal, relying on its acute sense of hearing when hunting in complete darkness.
Mythology
In ancient Greek mythology, Aphrodite was the goddess of love, beauty, sexuality and procreation.
Zeus, the Eagle-owl
The Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) is a species of eagle-owl that resides in much of Eurasia. One of the largest species of owl, the males are slightly smaller than the females. They can grow to a total length of 75 cm (30 in), with a wingspan of 131–188 cm (4 ft 4 in–6 ft 2 in). The bird has distinctive ear tufts, with upper parts that are mottled with darker blackish coloring and tawny and the wings and tail are barred. The underparts are a variably hued buff, streaked with darker color. The facial disc is poorly developed and the orange eyes are distinctive.
Mythology
In the ancient Greek religious hierarchy, Zeus was the “father of gods and men”, god of sky and thunder, ruler of the gods of Mount Olympus.
Artemis, the Steppe Eagle
Steppe eagles breed from Romania east through the south Russian and Central Asian steppes to Mongolia. Long distance migrants, the entire population moves south in October; returning in January-February.
The steppe eagle is about 62–81 cm (24–32 in) in length and has a wingspan of 1.65–2.15 m (5.4–7.1 ft). This is a large eagle with brown upperparts and blackish flight feathers and tail.
The species has undergone extremely rapid population declines within its European range. The majority of its range lies outside Europe where it was not thought to be declining at a sufficiently rapid rate to approach the threshold for Vulnerable.
Mythology
The goddess Artemis was the daughter of Zeus and Leto, twin sister of Apollo, Queen of mountains and forests, goddess of hunting, protector of small children and animals.
Hera, the Ferruginous Hawk
This species is a large, broad-winged hawk of the open, arid grasslands, prairie and shrub steppe country; it is endemic to the interior parts of North America.
The ferruginous hawk got its name from the Latin ferrum meaning iron or rust, a reference to the rusty appearance of the plumage on lighter colored adult birds.
The species ranges in length from 51 to 69 cm (20 to 27 in), with a wingspan from 122 to 152 cm (48 to 60 in). The ferruginous hawk is one of only two hawks with feathers covering their legs down to their toes, like the golden eagle. The other is the rough-legged buzzard (Buteo lagopus).
The ferruginous hawk primarily hunts small to medium-sized mammals but will also take birds, reptiles and some insects.
Mythology
In Greek mythology, Hera was the wife of Zeus, daughter of Cronus and Rhea. She was queen of the gods and goddess of women and marriage.