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Raptor down, request advise.

17 years ago

Hello everyone,

I was here on this Bird Watching Forum almost 2 years. I had rescued a house crow chick (who's parents had been shot by someone). Anyway due to certain factors, that bird did not survive.

But what I learned over her from you people, and the encouragement and moral support that I got - Is something I will never forget! :)

Now to the matter at hand.

Yesterday afternoon I saw 2 Brown Whistling Kite Hawks fighting in the air over a piece of meat. They flew very close (and fast) to a tall tree in my garden. I had thought that one of then had crashed in it. But when I looked outside, I found nothing.

Around evening time however, I found the bird hiding in a corner. Anyway I fed it some chicken liver (which the bird eat up very quickly). unfortunately, that is when I saw what was actually wrong with the bird.

In the fighting, or by crashing into the tree - The bird has lost it's left eye. Other then that, I see no broken wings or anything (as the bird stands up straight and holds it's head up high). It also does not drop any one of it's wings, so I guess aside from the loss of one eye, the bird is otherwise OK.

Anyway I am here to find out, what I now must do to help this bird fly again.

Here is a picture, I took it last evening - And just as I took the camera out, then bird went flat on the floor. But when I put the camera away, he or she was back to normal again.

Image link:

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Comments (5)

alan_la
17 years ago
Shahbaz,I think you should try to take it to a Bird Rehab center, but it appears that you live in Pakistan, so I'm afraid I can't help guide you to one. Maybe others can suggest things for you to do.
rachel_frome_ky
17 years ago
Hi, Shahbaz! I remember hard you worked to save the crow chick.

If the bird is what we call a Black Kite-what the photo resembles-it should be O.K. to release after it recovers. With one eye, its depth perception won't work for hunting fish and animals anymore, but it can still eat garbage and carrion.

I don't know what you have available to put on the eye wound. Aloe Vera gel rapidly heals wounds on my animals, but whatever works for you. The kite will probably leave on its own once it feels well
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shahbaz
Original Author
17 years ago
Alright people, I've got great news! :)

First of all, after writing my post over here - I went outside to check on the bird. He (or she) was standing in the early morning sunlight. So in such good light conditions, I saw that the eye was not destroyed!

The wound was actually very close to the left eye, and so because of the swelling the eye was closed. I could see the 3rd eyelid working. So I guess this means that the eyeball is safe. Therefore I hope and pray that soon (after the wound will heal) everything will go back to normal.

Anyway as I was saying, yesterday morning I saw that he (or she) was soaking up the early morning sunlight. So about an hour afterwards I went outside to feed it some meat.

Now just as the bird saw me walking up to him, he immediately flew to my left side - Very quickly circled (at about 8 feet high in the air), and came right at me! I at once ducked, otherwise I am 100% sure that my eyes would have been taken out!

I just saw something very big, coming right at me from the sun - So I simply said time to hit the deck... :)

Anyway when I got up, I couldn't see the bird anywhere. So I went up on the roof. And there I found it soaring freely. Then I noticed something else too. And that was, a little before the sun had come - There was another Kite hawk making noises nearby.

I am now sure that he or she was the mate of the injured bird! So just as my bird flew away, that bird joined it in the air and then they both started making their calls! They did not fight, rather it was almost as if they were practicing synchronized flight! :)

Anyway I now have a picture, I got one of them flying - The other one was just outside the camera's frame.
PKponder TX Z7B
17 years ago
That is wonderful news!
luc_quebec
17 years ago
Congratulations shahbaz!

You did a great job and save your own eyes!

It was an interesting story.

Luc

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