Owls and eagles are nurtured at Dullstroom

LYDENBURG – Birds of prey are some of the most magnificent animals across South Africa and because of this predatory nature they face distinct conservation concerns.

The Dullstroom Bird of Prey and Rehabilitation Centre was established in 1997 with the main aim of educating the public in order to promote an awareness of the raptor species and their plight as a growing endangered species.

Anna Tinker of the centre explains that they get close to 200 injured birds brought in for rehabilitation every year. “Some of them are hit by cars, other gets caught in fences and electric wires, and other are simply abandoned. We then take the bird to the veterinarian for medication and treatment. The rehabilitation of these animals depends on the severity of its injuries. We have an official success rate of 40 per cent for rehabilitation. At the moment there are some 93 species at the centre.”

Birds of prey, also known as raptors, are birds that hunt invertebrates and vertebrates including other birds. The term “raptor” is derived from the Latin word rapere (meaning to seize or take by force). They are characterized by keen vision that allows them to detect prey during flight and powerful talons and beaks.

Many species of bird may be considered partly or exclusively predatory; however, in Ornithology, the term “bird of prey” applies only to birds of the families listed below. Taken literally, the term “bird of prey” has a wide meaning that includes many birds that hunt and feed on animals and also birds that eat very small insects. In ornithology, the definition for “bird of prey” has a narrower meaning; birds that have very good eyesight for finding food, strong feet for holding food, and a strong curved beak for tearing flesh.

Tinker says that the birds are weighed on a daily basis. “Birds of prey don’t show sickness. They hide it because it makes them vulnerable. A drop in weight or fluctuation thereof gives us an indication that there is something wrong with the bird.”

The birds at the centre gets fed day old chicken hatchlings as it is the nearest to their natural prey. These birds consume some 6000 of these hatchlings in three weeks.

Bob Dalton, assisting the centre all the way from England explains that these raptors rarely drink water. “They get all their moisture from the meat they consume. They eat not only the meat but the intestines like the liver, guts and bones.”

Tinker said that they are also in the process of preparing an exciting new line up for thier flying displays over the coming months, including a stunning African Hawk Eagle, which is sure to draw in crowds.

The centre has daily displays at 10:30 and 14:00 and can be coordinated to suit tour busses or school educational trips.