Injured Owls & Other Birds of Prey - What to Do

Under normal circumstaces, what to do if you find an injured Owl or other Bird of Prey

Remember the following:

Minimising stress is the prerequisite of effective first aid - more birds are killed by shock than by their injuries! So, whatever you do, swift action is a prime necessity as any delay increases stress.

If you are actually able to approach and pick up an injured wild Owl or Bird of Prey, it is likely that it is in a very poor state indeed, and will further be traumatised by being handled!

Never attempt to examine any injured bird yourself as this is also very stressful and requires a trained rehabilitator or vet to do correctly!

Recognised best practice for dealing with an injured bird is that you:

Gently throw a jumper or blanket over the injured bird to gently pick it up
Put the bird into a well ventilated, darkened cardboard box - not so small that the bird will sustain further damage, but not so large that it can jump around inside. The box should preferably be lined on the bottom with another towel or, if not available, newspaper. Never use straw or sawdust and do not place water in the box. Do not cover the bird with a blanket or towel when it’s in the box for fear of it getting tangled.
Get the bird to S.O.S. or your nearest bird of prey centre as soon as possible. Suffolk Owl Sanctuary is open 7 days a week from 8.30am until 4.00pm during the winter months, and until 5.00pm in summer. For emergency advice call 03456 807 897 Option 5
Do not try to feed the bird.
Do not try to give first aid to the bird - although well-meaning, if incorrectly applied the traumatism of the wrong procedure could hasten the worst outcome.
Always wash your hands if you have touched a bird
Remember that bird of prey centres and raptor rescue organisations like S.O.S. are there to deal with birds of prey. If you’re not local to us in mid-Suffolk see this list to find one near you. Contact the RSPCA about other types of injured bird, or take it to a vet.
IMPORTANT - Bird Flu
In the unlikely event the bird you are rescuing appears uninjured but shows the following symptoms, it may have Avian Influenza (bird flu) and should be taken straight to a vet:

• the bird is unsteady on its feet, falling sideways or backwards when observed (or unable to control its lower body)?
• the bird is showing head tremors or seizure-like movements?
• the bird is swollen in the face, under the eyes, or has an overly 'puffy' appearance around the head?
• is the bird appearing drunk, or has limited visual capabilities?
• Is the bird struggling to breathe or expelling fluid from the mouth and/or nose?
• Has the bird been found local to large collections of waterfowl and/or poultry or wildfowl?
• Has the bird been found near or around other deceased wild birds?

If the bird is not diagnosed with Avian Influenza, please advise the vet to call us on 03456 807897 Option 5, as we will offer it hospital and recuperation facilities

We are available for consultation on what to do if you find an injured bird of prey on our helpline 03456 807 897 / option 5 between 9.00am and 5 pm daily, or by email at info@owlhelp.org.uk

Learn more about the Raptor Hospital at S.O.S.

Basic Do’s and Don’t

DO use a towel or something similar to protect your hands from the talons. The bird can then be swaddled to limit struggling and exacerbating any injury it may have
DO provide a small box or otherwise for it to be transported in and/or kept overnight if required – enough for the bird to turn but not so much it is going to hurt itself flying around in
DO line the box with a towel or some newspaper and NOT woodchip or straw/hay – this can harbour bacteria and dust
DO keep somewhere dark, warm and quiet – room temperature is fine but not full sun or a hot room. Ideally somewhere cool on a hot day.
DON’T risk your safety! Please don’t attempt anything that could put you at risk, such as climbing up to high places or crossing busy roads etc.. without the relevant safety gear or professional help.
DON’T offer any food – raptors require a very specific diet and it may require treatment that could stress the bird into vomiting. Also overloading a raptors system with food can cause them to deteriorate
DON’T offer any water in a bowl – the bird could soak itself
DON’T pet or stroke the bird – excessive handling of an already stressed bird could cause it to deteriorate and they do NOT enjoy it. Most defence mechanisms of birds are to freeze and act dead! Others may simply attack you if provoked!
DON’T offer any treatment or medicine, human or otherwise, leave that to the professionals!

And most importantly..
DON’T KEEP THE BIRD! Critical care is vital for the survival of the bird, the sooner we can administer it the better chance it has! It is also against the law to keep or treat a native bird of prey without the relevant licenses.

Injured Owls & Other Birds of Prey - What to Do

Under normal circumstaces, what to do if you find an injured Owl or other Bird of Prey

Remember the following:

Minimising stress is the prerequisite of effective first aid - more birds are killed by shock than by their injuries! So, whatever you do, swift action is a prime necessity as any delay increases stress.

If you are actually able to approach and pick up an injured wild Owl or Bird of Prey, it is likely that it is in a very poor state indeed, and will further be traumatised by being handled!

Never attempt to examine any injured bird yourself as this is also very stressful and requires a trained rehabilitator or vet to do correctly!

Recognised best practice for dealing with an injured bird is that you:

Gently throw a jumper or blanket over the injured bird to gently pick it up

Get the bird to S.O.S. or your nearest bird of prey centre as soon as possible. Suffolk Owl Sanctuary is open 7 days a week from 8.30am until 4.00pm during the winter months, and until 5.00pm in summer. For emergency advice call 03456 807 897 Option 5

Do not try to feed the bird.

Do not try to give first aid to the bird - although well-meaning, if incorrectly applied the traumatism of the wrong procedure could hasten the worst outcome.

Always wash your hands if you have touched a bird

Remember that bird of prey centres and raptor rescue organisations like S.O.S. are there to deal with birds of prey. If you’re not local to us in mid-Suffolk see this list to find one near you. Contact the RSPCA about other types of injured bird, or take it to a vet.

• the bird is showing head tremors or seizure-like movements?

• the bird is swollen in the face, under the eyes, or has an overly 'puffy' appearance around the head?

• is the bird appearing drunk, or has limited visual capabilities?

• Is the bird struggling to breathe or expelling fluid from the mouth and/or nose?

• Has the bird been found local to large collections of waterfowl and/or poultry or wildfowl?

• Has the bird been found near or around other deceased wild birds?

If the bird is not diagnosed with Avian Influenza, please advise the vet to call us on 03456 807897 Option 5, as we will offer it hospital and recuperation facilities

We are available for consultation on what to do if you find an injured bird of prey on our helpline 03456 807 897 / option 5 between 9.00am and 5 pm daily, or by email at info@owlhelp.org.uk

Basic Do’s and Don’t

DO use a towel or something similar to protect your hands from the talons. The bird can then be swaddled to limit struggling and exacerbating any injury it may have

DO provide a small box or otherwise for it to be transported in and/or kept overnight if required – enough for the bird to turn but not so much it is going to hurt itself flying around in

DO line the box with a towel or some newspaper and NOT woodchip or straw/hay – this can harbour bacteria and dust

DO keep somewhere dark, warm and quiet – room temperature is fine but not full sun or a hot room. Ideally somewhere cool on a hot day.

DON’T risk your safety! Please don’t attempt anything that could put you at risk, such as climbing up to high places or crossing busy roads etc.. without the relevant safety gear or professional help.

DON’T offer any food – raptors require a very specific diet and it may require treatment that could stress the bird into vomiting. Also overloading a raptors system with food can cause them to deteriorate

DON’T offer any water in a bowl – the bird could soak itself

DON’T pet or stroke the bird – excessive handling of an already stressed bird could cause it to deteriorate and they do NOT enjoy it. Most defence mechanisms of birds are to freeze and act dead! Others may simply attack you if provoked!

DON’T offer any treatment or medicine, human or otherwise, leave that to the professionals!

And most importantly..

DON’T KEEP THE BIRD! Critical care is vital for the survival of the bird, the sooner we can administer it the better chance it has! It is also against the law to keep or treat a native bird of prey without the relevant licenses.

Injured Owls & Other Birds of Prey - What to Do

Under normal circumstaces, what to do if you find an injured Owl or other Bird of Prey

Remember the following:

Minimising stress is the prerequisite of effective first aid - more birds are killed by shock than by their injuries! So, whatever you do, swift action is a prime necessity as any delay increases stress.

If you are actually able to approach and pick up an injured wild Owl or Bird of Prey, it is likely that it is in a very poor state indeed, and will further be traumatised by being handled!

Never attempt to examine any injured bird yourself as this is also very stressful and requires a trained rehabilitator or vet to do correctly!

Recognised best practice for dealing with an injured bird is that you:

Gently throw a jumper or blanket over the injured bird to gently pick it up

Get the bird to S.O.S. or your nearest bird of prey centre as soon as possible. Suffolk Owl Sanctuary is open 7 days a week from 8.30am until 4.00pm during the winter months, and until 5.00pm in summer. For emergency advice call 03456 807 897 Option 5

Do not try to feed the bird.

Do not try to give first aid to the bird - although well-meaning, if incorrectly applied the traumatism of the wrong procedure could hasten the worst outcome.

Always wash your hands if you have touched a bird

Remember that bird of prey centres and raptor rescue organisations like S.O.S. are there to deal with birds of prey. If you’re not local to us in mid-Suffolk see this list to find one near you. Contact the RSPCA about other types of injured bird, or take it to a vet.

• the bird is showing head tremors or seizure-like movements?

• the bird is swollen in the face, under the eyes, or has an overly 'puffy' appearance around the head?

• is the bird appearing drunk, or has limited visual capabilities?

• Is the bird struggling to breathe or expelling fluid from the mouth and/or nose?

• Has the bird been found local to large collections of waterfowl and/or poultry or wildfowl?

• Has the bird been found near or around other deceased wild birds?

If the bird is not diagnosed with Avian Influenza, please advise the vet to call us on 03456 807897 Option 5, as we will offer it hospital and recuperation facilities

We are available for consultation on what to do if you find an injured bird of prey on our helpline 03456 807 897 / option 5 between 9.00am and 5 pm daily, or by email at info@owlhelp.org.uk

Basic Do’s and Don’t

DO use a towel or something similar to protect your hands from the talons. The bird can then be swaddled to limit struggling and exacerbating any injury it may have

DO provide a small box or otherwise for it to be transported in and/or kept overnight if required – enough for the bird to turn but not so much it is going to hurt itself flying around in

DO line the box with a towel or some newspaper and NOT woodchip or straw/hay – this can harbour bacteria and dust

DO keep somewhere dark, warm and quiet – room temperature is fine but not full sun or a hot room. Ideally somewhere cool on a hot day.

DON’T risk your safety! Please don’t attempt anything that could put you at risk, such as climbing up to high places or crossing busy roads etc.. without the relevant safety gear or professional help.

DON’T offer any food – raptors require a very specific diet and it may require treatment that could stress the bird into vomiting. Also overloading a raptors system with food can cause them to deteriorate

DON’T offer any water in a bowl – the bird could soak itself

DON’T pet or stroke the bird – excessive handling of an already stressed bird could cause it to deteriorate and they do NOT enjoy it. Most defence mechanisms of birds are to freeze and act dead! Others may simply attack you if provoked!

DON’T offer any treatment or medicine, human or otherwise, leave that to the professionals!And most importantly..

DON’T KEEP THE BIRD! Critical care is vital for the survival of the bird, the sooner we can administer it the better chance it has! It is also against the law to keep or treat a native bird of prey without the relevant licenses.

DON’T offer any treatment or medicine, human or otherwise, leave that to the professionals!

And most importantly..