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Baby Owls & Birds of Prey
Safe Handling
Injured, threatened or young birds of prey will often flip onto their backs to display their sharp talons. Wear thick gloves and use a blanket or flat woven towel is handling is necessary.
Most raptors are fierce parents and raise their young together. Owlets and young raptors are curious and uncoordinated, often tumbling out of their nests. Their parents are keenly protective and generally capable of protecting young at a pre fledge age until they are fit enough to fly.
If you encounter a young raptor on the ground, be cautious of adults flying overhead, and wear protective headgear if possible. Each case is situational, please take pictures of the bird and nest if possible and contact us so we can help assess the situation.
Resources
What you are witnessing may be perfectly normal behaviour. Look For:
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Weakness or unconsciousness
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Vomiting or diarrhea
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Discharge from the ears, eyes or nose
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Large patches of missing/damaged feathers, fur or shell
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Foreign objects stuck to or wrapped around the body
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A deceased parent or siblings nearby
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Bleeding
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Open wounds
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Fly eggs or maggots
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Cat attack - even without visible or obvious wounds
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Broken, injured or missing limbs – hindered movement
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Non-stop shivering or crying
If you see any of these signs, the animal needs immediate help
As a volunteer powered charitable organization, we do not have the means or resources for pick ups or field rescues. We must rely on finders bringing animals in need of care to our facility.
Please do not bring animals to the centre without first confirming an intake time with a wildlife volunteer.
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