Hillcrest’s Stuart Pringle came to the rescue of a Black Sparrowhawk chick after it fell out of its nest during a powerful wind storm. Garth Johnstone finds out more.
Stuart said the young bird was given to him after it fell from its nest during a recent storm. “He was barely a day old and the remains of his egg were found beneath the nest, suggesting he had hatched recently.”
According to Stuart, the nest was placed in a precarious position and was not very well made, so he suspects the pair of Black Sparrowhawks (the bird’s parents) are a new couple. “The other three fledglings have done well though, and are about to leave the nest, so they must have done something right,” he said.
First prize would have been to place the chick back in its nest, but because of the nest’s position and the difficulty of the climb – even with ropes – it was decide this was not possible.
“Caring for any young animal takes specialist care. Any young or injured animal should be taken to an appropriate wildlife centre,” says Stuart. “Many people feel they will be able to look after the animal themselves but I strongly advise against this. Birds of prey tend to ‘imprint’ themselves on their carer and believe they are human. This causes problems when it comes to releasing animals, as they tend to not associate humans with danger and can become aggressive towards humans. All too often they then need to de destroyed as they become problem animals.”
Stuart worked at CROW when he was a schoolboy and is passionate about birds of prey, having studied the birds and their nests for years, whilst also trying to spread awareness of the importance of these predators to the environment. He has put a great deal of personal effort and emotion into raising the chick.
“When I first received the chick it was severely dehydratedm and at one stage I thought it had died. The most important thing is to get the chick into an incubator. Lack of warmth is the single biggest killer of young birds that have fallen from nests.
“I had to keep a constant eye on him and feed him every two hours for the first three days. They grow extremely quickly and soon he was able to feed himself. He weighed 27g when I got him, and by the time he was two weeks old he weighed about 230g. He literally grew in front of my eyes. I was lucky my boss allowed me to bring him to work – the benefits of a family business!”
Releasing the young Sparrowhawk into the wild is going to be a real test, as he needs to be taught to hunt and care for himself. While birds instinctively know what to do in terms of flying and hunting, as is the case with most animals, it’s a case of trial and error.
“Black Sparrowhawks depend on their parents for about 50 days after leaving the nest. In the wild, about 80% of birds of prey never make it through their first year.”
Stuart said traditional falconry methods would be used to train the bird to hunt, and he would be released only once he’d shown he was capable of fending for himself. “He needs to be released in a familiar area, as he will return there for food until he no longer needs our assistance. This process can take another three to four weeks.”
I asked Stuart for some advice for anyone finding abandoned or lost chicks in the wild: “Remember, these are wild animals and should be treated with respect, especially when injured.”
Any member of the public who finds an injured or young bird of prey should contact an appropriate rehabilitation centre. Stuart recommends the African Bird of Prey Sanctuary near the Lion Park. They have years of experience and the right facilities to care for such animals. Besides the rehabilitation of raptors, the sanctuary is very informative, the birds can be seen up close and it also gives educational flying displays.
Raptor rescue hotline: 082 359 0900
www.africanraptor.co.za or email Stuart Pringle