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A Second Chance-Raptor Rehabilitation by Stephen R

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A Second Chance-Raptor Rehabilitation by Stephen R A Second Chance-Raptor Rehabilitation By Stephen R. Rapp • St. Louis, Missouri In recent decades a public awareness R.R.P. P., Inc. is that all personnel, in­ has developed concerning the plight of cluding the director, are volunteers, birds of prey, also known as raptors. In­ receiving no salary for their work. discriminate shooting and trapping, col­ Facilities lisions with automobiles, barbed wire Through various generous financial fences, power lines, and other man­ support of local corporations, indi­ made structures as well as loss of habitat viduals, and the Missouri Department of and pesticide poisoning have contrib­ Conservation, the project has designed uted to the decline of many raptor and built facilities to house raptors species. Unless measures are instituted to undergoing rehabilitation, for research halt the decline of not only raptors but programs and for captive propagation. all endangered species, it is very possible Rehabilitation facilities include a surgery that in our lifetime we could see the and post-operative care area as well as disappearance of many species from the several outdoor enclosures to house face of the earth. Long range solutions, recovering and permanently injured, including environmental education of unreleasable birds. Additional facilities the public, wise land usage, and reduc­ house incubators and hand rearing tion in the use of pesticides are necessary equipment as well as a Coturnix quail although we must also design manage­ colony. The Missouri Department of ment programs to deal with immediate Conservation had financed three _...... ~ ..... problems facing those species presently facilities used for captive propagation. in danger of extinction. The peregrine These are multi-chambered buildings falcon was brought back from near ex­ that allow breeding pairs to be housed BUY' SELL' TRADE tinction in orth America through the and maintained under conditions that BIRDS intensive efforts of raptor biologists. are conducive to successful propagation. BIRD SUPPLIES Must we wait until such a perilous point At the present time these are being used AND EQUIPMENT is reached with other species before in­ for the captive propagation of barn owls. SEED,FEED stituting management programs to pre­ Two of the buildings consist of chambers serve them? with one-way viewing glass that allows Halfmoons R.R.P.P., Inc. project members to conduct detailed Cockatiels In Missouri, the red shouldered hawk behavioral observations. Additional Lovebirds (Buteo lineatus), the Cooper's hawk (Ac­ facilities house breeding pairs of golden Parrakeets cipiter coopen'z) , the sharp-shinned hawk eagles (Aquzia crysaetos) , red shouldered White Headed Nuns (Accipiter smatus) , the marsh hawk hawks, Cooper hawks, marsh hawks and Green Singers (Circus cyaneus) , the peregrine falcon sharp-shinned hawks as well as American Golden Breasted Waxbills (Falco peregrinus), the bald eagle kestrels (Falco sparverius). Cordon Bleu (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) , the osprey Rehabilitation AND MANY OTHER TYPES (Pandion haliaetus) , and the barn owl The R.R.P.P., Inc. has treated 318 in­ OF FINCHES (Tyto alba) are all listed as endangered jured raptors that were brought to us by AND HOOKBI LLS species by the Missouri Department of local park rangers, concerned individuals, ... Conservation . state and federal wildlife agents over the In an effort to preserve these magnifi­ past three years. Our initial action upon cent but dwindling creatures, the author receiving an injured bird is to stabilize its -...'. assisted Walter C. Crawford, ]r., in condition and then institute reparative : ' ~ . establishing the Raptor Rehabilitation measures. If a broken bone is suspected, and Propagation Project Inc., (R.R.P.P., radiographs are taken. With the assis­ ~l Inc.). The R.R.P.P., Inc. is located at tance of local veterinarians, the injury is ", Washington University'S Tyson Research treated and the bird is housed in indoor ...~,' Center near Eureka, Missouri, approx­ facilities until its condition has stabil­ t'.t imately fifteen miles west of Sf. Louis. ized. Once Stable, the bird is moved to " Originally established to rehabilitate in­ outdoor facilities where it is housed until jured raptors, the project has since ex­ its wounds are completely healed. When panded to include captive propagation recovered, the bird is allowed to exercise of endangered raptor species, research in the outdoor facilities and ultimately, and education. The R.R.P.P., Inc. is a is released back in to the wild. In an ef­ non-profit, tax exempt organization rely­ fort to document the success of the re­ 18247 East Valley Blvd. ~ • ing solely on contributions from in­ habilitated birds, the project is currently (at Yorbita Rd.l ! terested individuals, groups, and cor­ seeking funding to obtain transmitters La Puente, CA. 91744 porations for support. Funding is also that wi]] allow us to track them after 213/964 - 8473 f received from university and govern­ their release. mental sources in the form of research In 1979, we developed a prosthetic grants to support specialized research limb for use on golden eagles that have projects. A notable aspect of the suffered the loss of a foot due to a steel 16 trap or gunshot injury. While not a func­ One half inch metal conduit placed on tioning limb, this prosthetic device one inch centers serves as a barrier in allows the bird to perch naturally, to these windows. In all breeding chambers support its weight on both legs rather the large rear window faces a wooded than one. This reduces the chances of a hillside. This design insures that the foot problem such as bumblefoot occur­ birds will be free of visual and most ing on the remaining limb since, without auditory disturbances that may interfere the prosthesis, the bird would have to in their reproductive cycle. Through the rely on only one limb to support all its use ofproper nest structures, perches and weight. A bird with this device could diet, we hope to stimulate natural be­ never be released; however, it could lead haviors that will lead to the ultimate goal a much less stressed, hopefully reproduc­ of reproduction. tive life in captivity. As a stimulant to breeding we have Propagation found live Coturnix quail, commonly Occasionally, a bird will suffer an in­ used in laboratory research, to be indis­ jury requiring amputation of a foot or pensable for several reasons. During in­ wing, or suffer permanent, restricted use itial pair bonding, many raptors will of such a limb and thus cannot be re­ behave instinctively aggressive towards leased. As an alternative to euthansia, we one another in such a way that pair began utilizing many of these birds for bonding may not occur. However, by VITAMIN our captive propagation program. feeding live quail, this potential motiva­ SUPPLEMENT­ CONDITIONER Through the release of captive-bred off­ tion to be aggressive towards one another FOR BIRDS • spring, these crippled birds are still con­ can be channeled into pursuit, capture • H'(,H P()H .... I' 'v'lli', "·,IITA'v'lI .... " "l!PPl(Mf~l tributing to the maintenance of their and feeding on a live food source. Once • (J"'lA, .... ..,:.I, 'AM' .... .., PIl!", -Ri)'" species. In addition to crippled, unre­ lower levels of aggression are reached • A'D" ',Ri)V_iT>. A .... () leasable birds, raptors from zoos, nature between a pair of birds, natural behavior centers and government research facili­ patterns conducive to formation of pair lE REGENERATEUR ET SUPPLEMENT ties are also used for captive breeding bonding such as presentation of food by VITAMINIQUE programs. In particular, five pairs of one bird to another, mutual preening, POUR OISEAUX • u,," SUPPLEME .... ' d)'v'lPOSf JE barn owls from Patuxent Wildlife bowing, etc. may be observed. Any ·AM' .... E5 ESSE .... " •••• ':> • R'CH' JE fER Research Center in Laurel, Maryland, breaks in this chain of behavioral events •U EMPlO REGUl £1> 'OuR''IjjRA AU~ J'SEA u •• ES form the core of our barn owl breeding could stop the entire reproductive pro­ "TAM' .... ES £1 ,E >fR .... EefS"A RE colony, which currently consists of 10 cess. By feeding live food to stimulate A u .... E CRO'SSl.l .... u SA''''E .... ~, , '~'-', JC ~ breeding pairs. Our goal is to establish and simulate natural behaviors, these CG~'~~~ ... ~, , u, large scale breeding programs with those links in reproductive behavior are main­ A high potency multivitamin raptors that are classified as endangered tained, thus increasing the chances for diet supplement for all cage species in Missouri and on which not successful reproduction. birds Regular use will ensure much captive work has been done. To date, we have been successful in that all essential nutritional Several institutions are working with well raising two endangered species, the requirements during a bird's lifespanare fully met. Hagen known raptor species such as the Cooper's hawk and barn owl as well as Vitamin Supplement Condi· peregrine falcon and the bald eagle; American kestrels (Falco sparven'us) , tioner contains among other however, there are very few working with screech owls (Otus asio), red tailed hawks ingredients VITAMIN A to pro· lesser known species such as the Cooper's (Buteo jamaicensis), and Harris's hawks mote health of plumage and skin. Also to aid resistance to hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, red shoul­ (Parabuteo unicinctus). disease. VITAMIN Dpromotes dered hawk, marsh hawk and the barn In 1981, the project's colony of seven strong bone formation in owl. These five species form the core of pairs of barn owls produced 66 young. young and nesting birds. the R.R.P.P., Inc.'s captive propagation As of July 1, 1982, 52 barn owls have VITAMIN D & A promotes quick moult and restoration program. been raised with many pairs still on eggs. of plumage. VITAMIN B is reo The initial step in any captive propa­ This is in dramatic contrast to barn owls quired for health and growth gation program is the pairing up of pro­ productivity in the wild during this of the nervous systems.
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