RFI Rehab of orhaned Whistling Kite

[Mike Tarburton <>]

Dear List Members

would any of you have suggestions to help with the release of an immature Whistling Kite.  It was taken from its nest at about 3 weeks and has been hand raised.   RSPCA (Which is being resurrected in Port Moresby) have asked me to help with its releasse as our campus is a bird sanctuary.  However, we have a pair of Whistling Kites that permanenly live & breed each year here and I think a hand-raised bird may have problems with them if we just release it here.  Is a "strange" immature likely to be attacked and what training could we give the bird?  It is being held in a 5x5x4m cage, and we could keep it in that on campus for some time if establishing some relations with the resident birds could be achieved that way.

Any help appreciated

thanks very much

Mike

==========
Dr Mike Tarburton
Assoc. Prof. Biology
Pacific Adventist University
PMB Boroko
Papua New Guinea