Breeders Background

Alistair McKissock has been a practising falconer for over forty years flying mainly peregrines at most of the traditional quarry found in the UK, but concentrating mainly on game hawking (partridge and grouse).

Ten years were spent in Australia flying various indigenous falcons at quail, duck, and Australian ravens, thereby expanding Alistair's understanding of not only falconry techniques, but grasping how to deal with the differing temperaments of individual falcons.

Back in Scotland in 1971 saw him employed by a wealthy landowner as a professional falconer flying peregrines over pointers at grouse. At the time, he had the opportunity of flying both passage and haggard falcons, mainly from the Middle East, bearing in mind this was during pre telemetry days when plenty of experience was gained finding lost hawks solely by observation of the natural tell-tale signs given by other birds. This ability has been all but lost by modern falconers since reliance on transmitters.

Since leaving his job, which lasted three years, he has been self-employed, if not directly involved with falconry, always flying falcons in his spare time. It was a natural progression to involve pointers in his work because of their necessity in game hawking. By being able to distinguish the kind of dog necessary for the precise branch of falconry that grouse hawking is, Alistair was able to provide trained and untrained dogs to some of the best know falconers in this country and abroad, thereby gaining another 'string to his bow'.


Breeding Experience

He started breeding peregrines 15 years ago, the initial breeding stock being birds taken from the cliff faces of the North East Scotland where licences were issued. Fortunately his friend, Stephen Frank gave him birds to ensure that the bloodlines would avoid inbreeding. He did not go down the AI road because of circumstances at the time wouldn't allow this. No doubt volume in output has been lost because of this, but he feels that by natural breeding methods, he has a better understanding of the natural selection and temperament of peregrines, and the end results have proven themselves, especially in the recent progeny.

All his falcons are direct descendants of Scottish wild stock and pedigrees, with descriptions of origin going back 3 generations, can be supplied. There are no genes of any subspecies in the bloodlines. In the past few years, his falcons have been flown by falconers in the UK and beyond with many references being available if required, with word of mouth being the main source of information.

Being a practising falconer, most of the adult breeders have been flown at quarry and have been well assessed for their hunting abilities and style. Although looks are no criteria for judging a falcons ability in catching quarry, we all never the less have our own conception of what a typically beautiful falcon should look like. Most recipients of Alistair's birds have commented on the following features. A good size is predominant in the eyasses with large well-proportioned feet. They tend to be on the dark side in plumage with the moustachial streak being very wide with no blemishes or fret marks.