Bird of Prey team visits Secunda to see what owls get up to

SECUNDA – Bird of prey specialists are keeping a close eye on the owls in the Secunda area.

Ms Frith Douglas from the Dullstroom Bird of Prey and Rehabilitation Centre recently commented in a story in Ridge Times last month about a spotted eagle owl that frequents the area around Gamtoos Street.

This bird appears quite tame and not afraid of humans. Ms Douglas believed this specific bird might have been imprinted.

After the story was published, Ms Douglas and her partner, Ms Magdali Theron, received numerous phone calls and messages of owl spotting in Secunda and decided to investigate. It now appears that there are several owls in the town.

“We received calls from various people about these owls. Some people wanted to kill the birds, because they believe the owls are evil and bring bad luck to their homes. They wanted us to remove the owls,” said Ms Theron.

Others said to let the owls be, because the birds have been in the area for years.

“We decided to go out there to see what these birds were up to,” explained Ms Theron.

The team spoke to many locals who had spotted the owls and who regularly see these birds of prey.

“One woman took us straight to an owl in her garden. On arrival, we could already conclude that the owl we saw was a human imprint. He has been surviving on mostly insects,” said Ms Theron.

Human imprinting is when these birds are raised by humans from a baby.

Ms Theron explained that there is a natural process that happens in the nest during the first months of a baby bird’s life.

“If you are going to interfere in that natural process, you are going to “mentally damage” the bird. And if you release such a bird, it will either die out there or go to humans for food. This is exactly what is happening with these owls in Secunda.”

The team do not plan on removing the animals, unless they are in danger from residents or are not hunting properly for survival.

“We have plotted all reported sightings of Spotted Eagle Owls in Secunda and can see that they are abundant all over town. It is therefore very possible that some chicks have been picked up and hand-raised. In the meantime we ask the people to please not feed these birds or approach them too closely.”

Ms Theron and Ms Douglas asked residents never to try raising birds of prey themselves. So what should you do when you come across a chick in the wild? Ms Douglas said the answer is quite simple: leave it alone and monitor the situation.

“If the parents are around and feeding the baby bird, leave it.

“If your dogs or cats are a threat to the bird, pick it up, but first try and put it back in the nest.”

Ms Douglas explained that birds cannot smell and will care for the baby even though you have touched it.

“If the parents are not around or if you cannot return it back in the nest, or if the chick is injured, then yes, pick the baby bird up. Take a carton box, make small breathing holes and place the bird on a towel in the box. Keep it warm and in a quiet place and immediately contact us.

“Do not give the bird anything to eat or to drink unless you have contacted us. They can die if you give them the wrong food or if you try force feeding food or water down their throat.”

This team strongly advises people not to keep birds of prey, because it is illegal to rear and keep indigenous wildlife without permits.

They suggest that if you come across an injured bird in the wild, you should try and pick the bird up with gloves, a towel or blanket and also place it in a box.

“Be careful of the beak and talons. You must keep the bird warm and quiet and get it to us or to your closest vet immediately. If you wait too long to get the bird to us or for us to fetch the bird, it can mean the difference between life and death or releasable and non-releasable.”

You can send an email to falconer@wildlifesos.co.za or a WhatsApp to 082 899 4108. 

Visit their website at www.birdsofprey.co.za.

Also read:

https://www.citizen.co.za/ridge-times/154709/bird-prey-fundi-believes-spotted-eagle-owl-seen-secunda-imprinted/