This letter is to inform all Birders of a few Facts about birds of prey.
Having Studied the habits and life styles of birds of prey extensively and
rehabilitated them as injured and orphaned birds of prey for over 25 years, I
can tell you a few things about raptors.
1- They are no respecter of man. They do not go by our time table or holiday
schedule! They come and go as they please and as they should.
2- They are opportunist. They hunt and feed when hungry or have chicks and rest
they when full. Sometimes for a couple of days. They are not glued to the
trees! This means that they must LEAVE the nest and roost site and venture
out, often 10-30 km away from their territory.
This takes time and often they must skirt around the territories of other birds
of prey and then make it back home without some other raptor sealing it from
them, etc. Very few raptors hunt within 2 km of their nest and chicks as it
gives away their location.
3-Position of the bird above all other moving things around it means
everything. Once established at a nest or roost site the birds will do all they
can to protect it, and keep all disturbances and threats away.
The site at Bitter Springs was chosen by the Red Goshawk, so that is where it
feels comfortable as long as people do not encroach upon it on a regular basis.
The little bit of movement by the owners of the house around their yard is
something that the bird feels it can live with. Apparently past disturbances of
the bird and nest have caused it to move further back from the road where it
sees the house a a buffer.
The hawk is very aware and comfortable with the traffic on the road, people
walking past with pets and yes, the constant stream of Birders standing at the
fence with tripods, cameras and spotting scopes. All are at a comfortable
distance, and not a threat to it.
4-Body language. If the bird is preening, sleeping with head tucked over its
back or standing on one foot casually looking around, it is relaxed and not
worried about anything.
If it stiffens its body, quickly looks in all directions and begins to bob its
head with both feet planted on the branch ready for take off, the bird is most
likely agitated or stressed.
5-Stress. Stress kills more birds and wildlife faster than anything else.
Stress is caused by many things but essentially when wildlife is out of THEIR
comfort zone for what ever reason for a prolonged length of time, they may
become sterile, missing one or more breeding seasons, or simply die for "no
apparent reason". There is always a reason! What humans see as a cute little
wild bird to be fondled and passed around for all the kids to see is very
stressful on the chick or adult bird. They do not see you as a friend but in
many cases are literally scared to death from the close contact with humans. if
you must handle an injured or orphaned bird of any kind, place it in a box
lined with a cloth (not a blanket) with no food or water. Most wildlife will
not eat or drink when stressed. Cover the box securely and take it to the
nearest wildlife shelter. Close eye contact is very stressful to most wildlife,
so keep the head covered till you can get it into a box. Try to keep it
in a quiet location away from noisy kids and family pets.
As passive, serious or professional Birders, we must all take on the
responsibility of taking better care of our feathered friends. Study their
habits and understand what being a bird is like. Not just seeing them as a big
BINGO game where the numbers are everything.
Ask yourself ; What are the nests of each bird made of? Where do they build
them? do they mate for life? How many chicks do they produce and how often?
What is their food source? Where do they migrate to? What is their greatest
threat? Why are certain bird specie numbers dropping? What can I do to help
with any of these issues to insure the birds I love will not be on the
endangered or extinct list? if you cannot answer these questions of the birds
you love, then you are not a birder...you are just playing BINGO!
Sherri Smith
Founder and Former CEO of
The South Okanagan Rehabilitation Centre for Owls
www.sorco.org
Rehabilitation Through Education
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