Raptor First Aid

The ARA strongly suggests that if you find an injured Raptor, to contact your local Wildlife, Conservation authority office or Zoo immediately..

If you find an injured raptor or are asked, how to deal with one by a member of the public, always use a towel or blanket to immobilize the bird. Most injured raptors will be found on the ground, so approach them slowly and cover the bird as quickly as possible, gaining control of the wings and feet immediately after it is covered. Cover the bird’s head so that it cannot see, this will also help in calming the bird down. The talons are obviously the most dangerous part of the animal so have them under control at all times. Use the towel to wrap the bird up if you don’t have a transport box. Transport boxes must be made out of cardboard, plastic or wood, NO WIRE under any circumstances. Wire can and will cause damage to the birds feathers and cere even in transportation. This is also a good time to do a preliminary first aid check on the animal. Photo's below should what damage can occur when Raptors are placed in wire cages.

Photo's provided by Michelle Manhal

Basic First Aid

Obviously an injured raptor needs to be seen by an Avian Veterinarian as soon as possible, but a quick check over yourself can save a lot of time in determining whether the bird is a viable candidate for rehabilitation or needs immediate euthanasia. Give the bird a visual check for wounds, disease or breaks and feel the bird’s keel (breast bone) to see how skinny/fat it is. Check all the feathers; there are 10 primary feathers and 10 secondary feathers on each wing and 12 tail feathers. Learn the skeletal structure of the birds and know which bones are likely to be broken and how to determine breaks. Open wounds obviously need treatment, as do any foot (abrasions, cuts swelling), throat (obstructions, cuts or disease), or eye (cloudy appearance, blood, cataracts) problems. Check the beak for splitting or cracking.

If a veterinarian administers medication, it is essential to treat the animal for the entire length of time prescribed. Even if the bird’s wound appears better in 3 days and the Veterinarian has prescribed 7 days of medication, it needs to be treated for the entire 7 days.

**Maintaining the birds weight whilst it is under your care is an extremely important part of their rehabilitation! As a skinny/malnourished bird can die within a few days. A red, bloody, piece of meat like beef (No fat on it) can be given to a malnourished bird, as it is easy for the bird to digest and it should put on weight, if the bird refuses to eat, it is vitally important to get in contact with your local Wildlife, Conservation Authority office or Zoo immediately as they will be able to assist you.

Assessment of injuries

A bird of prey needs to be in almost perfect physical condition to survive in the wild. Without this the bird will slowly starve to death. Birds, which should be euthanized, are those, which have:

1. A compound fracture. The bone will be contaminated and infected, making healing virtually impossible.

2. Fractures near or involving a joint, and dislocations. The joint itself will fuse or be damaged leading to arthritis and an inability to use the joint sufficiently, compromising flight capacity.

3. One or both eyes missing or severely damaged.

4. Lose of use of a leg. Birds of Prey cannot effectively hunt properly, and they are prone to developing foot infections due to the uneven weight distribution.

5. Digit 2 and the rear digit missing on one or both feet, or the rear digit missing on both feet. These 2 digits are vital for the bird to be able to kill its prey. Photo's of Raptors which are untreatable

Photo's provided by Michelle Manhal

INJURIES WHICH ARE TREATABLE:

1. Fresh soft tissue injuries, which can be adequately cleaned and sutured if necessary.

2. Wing fractures in the middle of the bone. These can be repaired surgically.

3. Leg fractures. It is not as crucial to have perfectly functional legs as it is for the wings.

The decision to treat an injured bird of prey needs to be made after careful consideration, with the expectation of a prolonged convalescence period. It is unusual to be able to release a bird with a fractured bone less than 2 months after its initial presentation.

X-rays are a vital part of any good diagnosis.

DO NOT use Elastoplast on the bird’s feathers, as this will leave a sticky residue, which will damage feathers. Vet rap should be used when bandaging feathered areas. IT IS NOT ADVISABLE TO STRAP A BIRD’S WING, AS IT DOES CAUSE CONTRACTION OF THE PATAGIUM.

The ARA strongly suggests that if you find an injured Raptor, to contact your local Wildlife, Conservation authority office or Zoo immediately..

For further information on the rehabilitation of raptors go to www.eagle-hawk.org.au