VIDEO: Birds of the World at Whipsnade Zoo

Ten-month-old Belle is busy practising her airborne antics with keepers during her training sessions at Whipsnade Zoo. She arrived at the zoo in May and since then she has been working hard to be ready to star in the Birds of the World show alongside a bald eagle, a barn owl, a vulture, hawks and buzzards.

Birds trainer, Liz Brown, said: “Belle is doing really well with her training. We’ve been teaching her to fly to the lure which is swung around for her to try and catch. We’re very pleased with her and looking forward to her first show, which will also include eagles and hawks soaring through the sky.”

The merlin is a member of the falcon family and the UK’s smallest bird of prey, rarely measuring more than 33cm in length or having a wingspan greater than 67cm.

In contrast vultures, with their glossy black plumage, can reach double the size of a merlin and the largest known bird nest ever recorded – at 2.9m wide and an incredible 6m deep – belonged to a bald eagle.

Both of these majestic birds will be swooping through the sky as they join Belle for Birds of the World which takes place in the Bird Arena at 1.30pm daily during February half term.