In Bulgaria, the Donkey Valley is the largest project of the Vets in Action, but we don't just look after donkeys...
...all animals can count on us. At the height of summer, for example a small bird of prey needed our support.
Local bird lovers inform us that a bird has been found on the floor of the local retirement home and the worried residents need professional help to rescue it.
The bird - a young kestrel - is brought to us in a box.
Kestrels are small birds of prey and belong to the falcon family (Falconidae). They lay their eggs in May and the young hatch after four to five weeks. They leave the nest around a month later. The time of year and the size of our new patient suggest that they are young.
We examine the bird but find no obvious injuries. However, the fact that it was lying on the ground is very worrying. The best case scenario is that it was disoriented for some reason, but it could also be an injury or illness that has not yet been discovered. In this case, the young kestrel's life could be threatened by predators and it is still unable to hunt. The mortality rate of young kestrels is high, which is why good care is extremely important.
In order to be able to assess his condition, we are placing the bird in our larger enclosure for the time being. He may have to spend a few days in the small cage inside the enclosure for observation. We are curious to see if he shows any signs of stress or behaves differently than usual.
Unfortunately, the little one lands on the ground again, which is not necessarily a bad sign. Perhaps he is confused. In any case, it's good that he's staying with us for a few more days for monitoring.
Our feathered guest is fed in the morning and evening.
We put some food on the floor of the cage and are pleased to see that he is eating very well and even showing typical signs of defensiveness such as opening his beak and leaning forward. He is therefore reacting to a perceived threat - far from pleasant for the feeding hand, but a promising step for the rescue team.
After a few days, we leave the door of the cage open so that the young bird can leave it and explore the larger enclosure. We skip a meal and hope to lure him out to look for food.
Nice surprise: - the kestrel comes out of the cage just a few minutes after we leave and perches on a branch. To encourage natural behavior, various branches and wooden planks have been installed in the enclosure so that the birds can perch above the ground.
Over the next few days, we regularly check on our little friend and make sure that he changes his location throughout the day. We actually spot him in different places in the enclosure, which means that he flies around without any problems!
From a hiding place, a team member observes the young bird in flight for several hours. The wings appear to be in good condition.
After another day in our care, the animal lover who brought us the falcon can pick up his protégé. It is important that a bird is returned to where it was found as soon as possible.
The manager of the residence releases the young kestrel where it was found. It flies up a tree without any problems - a good choice on these hot and humid summer days!
We are satisfied about this recovery and wish the bird all the best in its wild environment.
