Nine domestic birds of prey found struggling to survive

Birds thought to have been abandoned

 

03.02.12 

Our Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre in Cheshire is caring for nine birds of prey which have been bred and raised as pets and then thought to have been dumped.

The birds were each taken to the wildlife centre near Nantwich after being found individually in an injured, sick or lethargic condition.
 

The nine birds include: 

• three barn owls
• two Harris hawks
• two buzzards
• a lanner falcon
• and an eagle owl.

They have all been bred as domestic pets and either been abandoned by their owners or escaped.

This means they cannot be released back into the wild. Had they not been rescued, it's very likely they would have died.

The birds have very specialist needs which makes finding suitable new homes very difficult.

Birds so lucky to have been rescued

Lee Stewart, centre manager, said:

All the birds were struggling to survive.

One of the buzzards had lost all balance and kept falling on its face.

One of the barn owls had flown straight into a car.

And the eagle owl was discovered in the middle of a path with its wing hanging down.

Keeping birds of prey as pets 

We are urging people to do their research before taking on these types of birds as pets.

All too often animals end up abandoned when people realise the care required is more than they can manage.

Animals that have been bred in captivity can struggle to adapt if they suddenly find themselves having to fend for themselves in the wild.

Birds of prey can have a large wing span and flying is a fundamental natural behaviour. So aviaries should be built with enough space for the bird in its adult size to fly.
 

They also need: 

• free flying time out of the enclosure
• suitable food
• to be taken to a specialist avian vet.

Legally, they can only be kept as pets if they are captive-bred. Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, it is an offence to take any wild bird and put it into captivity.

Some birds of prey also need to be registered if kept in captivity.

And we recommend that anyone owning a bird of prey get their bird ringed so that should the bird escape, it can be traced back to the owner.

Taking on any animal is a lifetime commitment

Sophie Adwick, RSPCA exotics and trade officer, said:

It is vital that anyone taking on an animal thinks very carefully about whether they will be able to care for the animal properly for all of its life.

Too many people buy on a whim without really doing any research into what the animal eats, how big it will grow, and how difficult it might be to keep it in a home.

This can lead to a raft of welfare problems, as well as abandonments.

 

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Exotic pets - what to consider

When unusual animals, like birds of prey, are kept as pets they are known as exotics or non-domestic animals.

Get more advice about meeting the needs of exotic pets.
 

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