Public must not hand-rear wild birds
People must resist the temptation to hand-rear wild birds of prey, in order to prevent scarring the animal for life, according to Linksfield-based Bateleur Raptor and Rescue Centre owner and founder Lorna Stanton.
Apart from it being illegal to own wild animals without a permit, Stanton said humans inflict irreversible damage on chicks when they raise them by hand.
She was speaking at the meeting of the East Rand branch of the Witwatersrand Bird Club, in the Benoni Library Auditorium, on March 17.
Stanton has rescued and rehabilitated birds of prey from all parts of the country.
She said there has been an increase over the past few years of people who hand-rear birds of prey.
“Often people know where nests are, so they, or a child, will pinch a chick from the nest,” said Stanton.
“Owl chicks often leave the nest before they are capable of full flight and people find them lying on the ground.”
She said people raise these birds with the best intentions, because they refuse to leave the stray bird to fend for itself.
These birds are harmed by people who feed them the wrong diet.
The results of an inappropriate diet include deficiencies such as rickets, which cause irreversible disabilities and underdevelopment.
“Some people think when you find a bird of prey chick you must roll meat in cotton wool or dog hair in order to give them that roughage,” she said.
“This is a total fallacy.”
The dog hair is full of chemicals and the cotton affects the bird’s digestive system.
When people house these birds in cages, the bird’s instinctive reaction is to escape.
They suffer grave injuries from continually flying into the cage’s fences.
Stanton said young chicks will imprint on humans, which, after a few weeks, will be irrevocable.
The birds lose all fear of humans and rely on them for food, which makes it near impossible for rehabilitation centres to release them back into the wild.
To have a bird of prey collected from your property, or to report one in distress, call Stanton on 083 757 0440 or 011 640 1577, or Wildlife in Crisis on 073 112 1131 or 076 152 2076.
The East Rand branch of the Witwatersrand Bird Club meets on the third Tuesday of every month, except in December.
For more information call 083 604 0666.
