RAPTORS TO THE RESCUE

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From a very young age Denzell has felt a strong attraction to the birds we call raptors, Eagles, falcons or hawks and of course the owls of the world. For the last fourteen years he has rehabilitated many different species of these magnificent birds,  with many notable success stories and sadly as he says himself some failures.

in Panama there is little veterinary experience with these creatures, and worse still if a specialist can be found, the cost is way beyond the resources of a fledgling organization such as raptors to the rescue.

India (Indian) is a proud Female Aguila Crestada Real or  Ornate Hawk Eagle, which was brought to Denzell 18 months ago, with shotgun wounds which left the raptor unable to fly, a sure death sentence in the wild. He and his partner Nayi were able to splint the broken wing and remove all the pellets themselves, Indio was again able to fly albeit short distances.

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They plan to use India for breeding purposes in the long run, and as a show bird to further their cause, as it is unlikely he will ever be able to survive unaided out in the wild again.

His character mirrors his name, you cannot call him at will, he will fly only when he sees fit and on his terms.

 

The  Female Ornate Hawk Eagle or Aguila Crestuda Real, is  larger  than the male of the species,  they are found in lowland rain forest throughout the South American tropical zones and in Central America. Sadly they are considered a threatened species due to the destruction of the forests their natural habitat, an all too common story. Their wingspan can reach 1.5 meters and they can weigh 3 kilos or more.   As you can see in the photos they have a striking resemblance to the larger harpy eagle, and similarly make very large nests in the forest canopy.

Denzell and Nayi show  the Raptors at schools, malls, colleges, public and private events to help raise awareness and funds, it was easy to see in the very short time that we were with them, that the care of the birds and their rehabilitation takes up a great deal of their time, but their dedication is complete and it shows.

We were lucky to be able to visit them at their home where they house the rehabilitating raptors, it was fascinating to see that Gavilanes (Hawks), would come in to roost close by, called by the captive birds. Maya is a Gavilan caminero (Buteo Magnirostris),    which they had previously liberated  and came to rest only fifty feet away in a nearby tree. Denzell explained that she would still take food either because of the inability to hunt enough for herself, or perhaps out of habit.

They also had a number of Buho species (The Owl) they are truly fantastic creatures to see up close, my personal experience is that in the forest you can hear them but rarely get a glimpse of the bird, so complete is their camouflage. 

The Buho Rayado or stripped owl (Asio Clamator)  which had been rescued from the Interamerican Highway now exhibits none of the wounds that she received from being caught up in some old wire, and can now fly long distances without tethering, by being called, induced of course with a little bait in the form of chicken or meat. This is a completely nocturnal owl hunting through the night and at dusk, they are found throughout South and central America living in varied habitats and for this reason this owl is not considered endangered. 

This  American barn owl or Lechuza in Spanish is a nocturnal bird which can grow to 40 cm tall, they eat small mammals such as rats and mice and are effective in reducing the populations of these pests without the use of poisons, they have been welcome in farmers barns for generations for this reason. As a species they are considered the most widespread bird  found on land and are spread out throughout the globe.

 

These Buho Autillos of which they had two in rehabilitation are arguably one of the cutest birds of all, they are native to  the Americas and called the American screech owl in the United states and Canada. They are a small owl and the species is are very widespread being found throughout the world in one form or another.

Trial and error, long experience, and a falconry course of some three months which Denzell attended in Spain, has built them a knowledge base both as avian Vets and handlers and has made them accepted as experts in their class, which is accepted by the relevant authorities, the ministry of the enviroment, whom often bring them Raptors they have rescued, along with the general public whom find one of these creatures in need of attention.

This juvenile  Gavilan Sabanero or Savana Hawk   had been blown out of its nest during a storm in the small town of Alanje’ and would surely have died but for the intervention of RTR. This eagle sits happily on the glove and take small pieces of meat or chicken and is well on the way to being released, flying short distances with ease.

Every day the birds must be flown to build their stamina and muscle strength, The small hawk they call Hercules is a road hawk or Buitre Buitre in Spanish, he has classic raptor features and although small is well suited to his name.

Perhaps Denzell and Nayi’s main contribution is with their conservation educational efforts, trying to impart the importance of understanding the environmental problems these birds face, both now and in the future. For this reason they are keen to visit schools both to lecture and show these Magnificent raptors up close to the children, whom may in the future be the ones whom ultimately decide their fate.

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