Hawks & falcons case method: 50 questions

A 2-year-old female Harris's hawk. Her training baseline weight is 950 g and she is weighed every morning at 7. This morning she was 890 g, 6% down from the day before. Last evening she was fed half a quail and has cast a pellet. She is sitting on her perch but with her wings slightly drooped, and she will not fly to the glove when it is offered. Room temperature is 12°C; it turned cold suddenly last night.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner at this point?

1. A hungry bird recalls well, so carry out the day's training as planned
2. Cancel training, keep her warm and give a small amount of thawed meat in small pieces; if she does not respond, see a vet the same day
3. Wait until evening to bring her back to baseline, then give the usual amount of food all at once
4. Assume the scale is off and decide after weighing again tomorrow morning

AnswerB. Cancel training, keep her warm and give a small amount of thawed meat in small pieces; if she does not respond, see a vet the same day

ExplanationRaptors can become hypoglycemic after losing just a few percent of body weight. A sudden drop of 5% or more combined with drooped wings and dull responses should be treated as early starvation: cancel training, keep the bird warm and give a small amount of easily digested meat in small pieces. If she does not respond, wobbles or seizes, see a vet right now. Forcing training on a hungry bird can cause a hypoglycemic crash in flight. Waiting until evening only extends the time blood sugar keeps falling, and a large meal all at once overloads a weakened digestive tract. Blaming the scale and waiting until the next morning is the most dangerous option, as it overlooks the deficit created by the cold-driven rise in metabolism.

IssuesThe feeding amount stayed the same as the previous day even though the temperature dropped sharply. The owner did not know that energy needs rise in cold weather, and misread the weight loss as "good for training", a common mistake among beginner falconers.

ImprovementRecord weight, temperature, feeding amount and pellets in the same daily table, and increase food in advance on days when the temperature is going to fall. Set a lower limit for baseline weight with your vet and make it a rule not to train below it. Always keep small pieces of thawed meat ready in the refrigerator.

A 3-year-old male peregrine falcon. A week ago he was fed a thawed wild feral pigeon given by an acquaintance. This morning he keeps trying to swallow food and dropping it, and holds his mouth half open. Looking into the mouth, a yellow-white cheese-like mass is visible at the back of the throat, and there is a foul smell from the beak. He has lost 40 g over 3 days.

Which is the most appropriate first action?

1. Pick the mass off with tweezers and rinse the mouth out with water
2. Feed hard, bone-in food to make him swallow so the mass comes off naturally
3. Do not touch the mass, stop feeding pigeon, cut food into small pieces, and see a hospital that treats raptors the same day
4. The smell is just from the food; watch for a few days and see a vet if the mass grows

AnswerC. Do not touch the mass, stop feeding pigeon, cut food into small pieces, and see a hospital that treats raptors the same day

ExplanationA cheesy mass in the mouth with foul odor and difficulty swallowing is classic trichomoniasis (frounce), and pigeons are the main source. The mass is deeply embedded in the mucosa; forcing it off causes heavy bleeding and tissue damage, and a dislodged mass can fall into the airway and choke the bird. Treatment requires medication; left alone, the mass blocks the throat and the bird starves. See a vet the same day and, until then, maintain nutrition with small, easy-to-swallow pieces of meat. Hard, bone-in food damages the lesion, cannot be swallowed and causes aspiration. Watching for days worsens the weight loss and risks the lesion spreading to the skull and internal organs.

IssuesThe owner did not know that wild pigeons carry Trichomonas at a high rate and fed the gifted bird without any treatment. Although weight had been dropping for 3 days, the mouth had not been checked, which delayed detection.

ImprovementIf feeding pigeon at all, limit it to trusted captive-bred pigeons or frozen-processed ones with the head and crop removed. Never feed wild pigeon. If the bird drops food or holds its mouth open, check inside with a flashlight, and see a vet if weight falls for 3 days in a row.

November. A 1-year-old female goshawk acquired 2 weeks ago. For manning she has been kept on the glove for long periods every day, and at night she is put in a shed bedded with straw. Her appetite has dropped over the past 3 days, and today her tail bobs with every breath and her mouth is slightly open. Her usual call comes out hoarse. Her weight is 7% below baseline.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. She will recover once she settles in, so increase the manning time and keep watching
2. Avoid stimulation, keep her in a quiet place, and have a respiratory examination the same day at a hospital that treats raptors
3. Assume a cold, raise room temperature to 35°C, run the humidifier at maximum and watch
4. Her appetite is down, so cut chicken into larger pieces and feed more

AnswerB. Avoid stimulation, keep her in a quiet place, and have a respiratory examination the same day at a hospital that treats raptors

ExplanationA new environment, the stress of early manning, straw bedding and autumn damp together create the conditions for aspergillosis, and tail bobbing, voice change, reduced appetite and weight loss strongly suggest it. Goshawks and peregrines are especially susceptible and the disease progresses quickly, so a same-day vet visit is the rule; imaging or endoscopy will be needed. Minimize stimulation and do not exhaust the bird with hooding or transport. Extending manning adds stress and lowers immunity. Heat and humidity encourage mold growth and make breathing harder. Extra food does not cure a respiratory infection and burdens a bird that cannot eat.

IssuesThe owner used straw without knowing it is a source of spores, and put heavy stress on a newly introduced bird with long manning sessions. A vet visit was not considered 3 days earlier when appetite first fell.

ImprovementUse gravel or newspaper as flooring and never straw or hay. Keep the shed ventilated and dry. Treat the first month after acquisition as a high-stress period, record weight and breathing daily, and see a vet if appetite is down for 2 days. Secure a hospital that treats raptors before bringing the bird home.

A 5-year-old male Harris's hawk. It is the off-season, he is not being trained, and he is 15% above baseline weight. His perch is a thin wooden dowel from the hardware store, used as is. Checking his feet today, the center of the right foot pad is red and swollen with a black scab in the middle. He increasingly stands on the left foot only and seems to have trouble gripping the perch.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. Pick off the scab, apply antiseptic and spread a thick layer of human antibiotic ointment from the medicine cabinet
2. Switch to a thicker perch wrapped with artificial turf or rope, start reducing weight, and see a vet within a few days
3. Switch to an even harder metal perch so the foot pads toughen up
4. Standing on one leg is a normal bird posture, so do nothing until the scab falls off

AnswerB. Switch to a thicker perch wrapped with artificial turf or rope, start reducing weight, and see a vet within a few days

ExplanationRedness, swelling and a black scab on the foot pad with one-legged standing is classic bumblefoot (pododermatitis), caused by obesity and hard, thin perches. As it advances, infection reaches the tendons and bone and the foot becomes unusable. First switch to softer perches of varying thickness to spread the pressure, start weight reduction, and see a vet within a few days for staging and treatment. Picking off the scab lets bacteria into deeper tissue, and the safety of human ointment ingredients cannot be confirmed. A hard perch such as metal is the very cause of the problem. Persistent one-legged standing is a pain sign, and neglect leads to osteomyelitis.

IssuesWeight management was relaxed in the off-season and the perch material was never reviewed. There was no habit of checking the foot pads daily, so the problem went unnoticed until a scab had formed.

ImprovementProvide several perches of different materials and thicknesses, such as artificial turf, rope wrap and cork, so pressure is not always on the same spot. Keep weight within 10% of baseline even in the off-season. Look at the foot pads every time the bird is on the glove, and change the perch at the first sign of redness.

A 4-year-old female peregrine falcon. Last evening she was fed a whole quail, feathers and bones included. This morning there is no pellet in the enclosure and the crop at the base of the neck is still bulging. She is on her perch with eyes open but moves little and does not react when shown food. Room temperature is 8°C and no heating was on overnight.

Which is the most appropriate first action?

1. Push the crop upward with your fingers to make her bring up the pellet
2. Stop feeding, raise the room temperature and let her rest; if there is still no pellet the next morning, or vomiting or a foul smell, see a vet the same day
3. Dribble warm water into her mouth with a dropper to aid digestion
4. Give her a fresh mouse to bring her appetite back

AnswerB. Stop feeding, raise the room temperature and let her rest; if there is still no pellet the next morning, or vomiting or a foul smell, see a vet the same day

ExplanationFood remaining in the crop with no pellet is a sign that digestion has stalled, and low temperature slows it further. First stop feeding, raise the room temperature, let the bird rest and observe. If there is still no pellet the next morning, or vomiting, a foul smell or a hard crop, see a vet the same day; 2 days without a pellet meets the threshold for a vet visit. Pressing the crop can force contents back up into the airway and choke the bird. Pouring water into the mouth also causes aspiration. Adding food on top of an undigested crop lets it rot inside, causing crop infection or impaction.

IssuesA large prey item was fed on a cold night without heating, so the bird could not maintain the body temperature and metabolism needed for digestion. Logging pellets and checking the crop before feeding were not habits.

ImprovementAlways confirm the crop is empty before feeding. In the cold season keep the nighttime room temperature at 10°C or above and split large prey into portions. Record pellet frequency, shape and smell every morning, and set a rule to see a vet if no pellet appears for 2 days.

A 2-year-old female Harris's hawk. Since last month she has been fed raw pigeons given by a neighbor's pigeon loft. This week several yellowish wart-like growths have appeared at the base of the beak and along the eyelid margins, with the same on a toe of the left foot. She is a little lethargic and eats more slowly. Another Harris's hawk is kept in the same room.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. Scrape the warts off with a fingernail, wipe with antiseptic and wait for them to heal naturally
2. Stop feeding raw pigeon, separate her from the other bird, and see a vet within a few days
3. The skin is dry, so apply moisturizing cream and humidify
4. They are just mosquito bites, so spray the bird with insect repellent

AnswerB. Stop feeding raw pigeon, separate her from the other bird, and see a vet within a few days

ExplanationWart-like lesions around the beak, eyelids and feet suggest pigeon pox (avipoxvirus), transmitted via raw pigeon or mosquitoes. It is viral with no specific drug; care centers on preventing secondary infection and maintaining nutrition, so see a vet within a few days for diagnosis. Separate the birds into different rooms and do not share equipment so it does not spread to the companion bird. Scraping the warts causes bleeding and secondary infection and spreads the lesions. The safety of moisturizers and human insect repellents for birds cannot be confirmed, and they can be ingested through feathers and skin. As long as raw pigeon is fed, the risk of reinfection remains.

IssuesThe owner did not realize that even loft pigeons can carry poxvirus and Trichomonas, and fed them raw without freezing. Isolation from the companion bird and separation of equipment had not been considered.

ImprovementDo not feed pigeon, or if you do, freeze it thoroughly and remove the head and crop. Consult your vet before changing the food source. Care for the sick bird last, in a separate room, with its own glove, feeding platform and perch. In mosquito season reduce outdoor tethering and use screens and insect control.

3 p.m. A 3-year-old male Harris's hawk tethered to a block perch in the garden. Seen from inside the house, the bird has fallen off the perch and is hanging upside down by the leash, flapping his wings. The leash is wrapped twice around the perch base, and no swivel was fitted. On running over, his legs are being pulled hard and he is breathing roughly with his mouth open.

Which is the most appropriate first action?

1. Cut the leash with scissors, lower the bird to the ground and leave him alone until he calms down
2. First support the bird's body to take the load off his legs, calm him, then untangle the leash
3. He is thrashing, so keep away and wait for him to get back onto the perch by himself
4. Pull the leash up to put him back on the perch and resume training right away

AnswerB. First support the bird's body to take the load off his legs, calm him, then untangle the leash

ExplanationHanging is the most common tethering accident, causing leg fractures, dislocations and joint damage, and the damage worsens with time. First support the bird's body with both hands or a towel to take the load off the legs, cover its eyes with a hood or cloth to calm it, then untangle. Afterward, if there is leg swelling, inability to grip the perch or a leg held up, suspect fracture or dislocation and see a vet the same day. Cutting the leash and dropping the bird causes secondary injury from the fall, and leaving it alone lets thrashing worsen the wounds. Waiting for it to recover on its own cuts off blood flow to the legs. Hauling it up and resuming training means missing the injury.

IssuesThe bird was tethered without a swivel, in a setup where the leash could wrap around the perch. The owner took his eyes off the bird while tethered, so it took time to notice the hanging.

ImprovementAlways tether with a swivel and keep the leash shorter than the perch height so it cannot wrap around the ground or legs even if the bird goes upside down. Stay within sight while the bird is tethered. After a hanging incident do not fly the bird, and check leg grip and swelling through the next day.

A 4-year-old female goshawk in hunting training. Chasing prey, she caught her foot on a wire fence, and when she returned blood was dripping from a toe on the left foot. On inspection there is a deep laceration at the base of the toe and one talon is loose. She is excited and gripping hard, and the bleeding continues. The site is in the mountains, an hour's drive from the hospital.

Which is the most appropriate first action?

1. Taking the prey away will make her thrash more, so let her eat the prey before looking at the wound
2. Wash the wound in a mountain spring, cover it with soil to stop the bleeding, then go home
3. Hood her to calm her, press the wound with clean gauze, and once the bleeding stops see a vet the same day
4. Once the bleeding stops there is no problem, so stop the bleeding on the spot and continue training

AnswerC. Hood her to calm her, press the wound with clean gauze, and once the bleeding stops see a vet the same day

ExplanationA foot laceration with a loose talon infects easily and, if neglected, leads to tendon damage and bumblefoot. First hood the bird to cover its eyes and reduce excitement, flush dirt away with carried saline or clean water, and press with clean gauze for a few minutes to stop the bleeding. A lost talon or deep wound needs suturing or antimicrobial treatment, so see a vet the same day. Letting her eat the prey raises blood pressure, increases bleeding and gets prey fluids into the wound. Spring water and soil introduce bacteria. Continuing training widens the wound and can cause the talon to come off completely.

IssuesNo hemostatic supplies or saline were carried to the hunting ground, and the bird was flown where there was wire fencing. There was no plan to use a hood when treating an excited bird.

ImprovementAlways carry saline, gauze, styptic, a hood and a transport box to training. Check the site in advance for wire mesh or barbed wire and avoid it. Wash and inspect the feet and talons after every session, and record even small wounds so you can follow them.

A 2-year-old female Harris's hawk in free flight. Making a sharp turn after the lure, she hit a tree trunk and fell to the ground. Picked up immediately, she can stand on the glove, but her head tilts to the left and the right wing droops slightly. Her eyes are open but she blinks little. No bleeding is visible, and a few minutes later she ate a little of the meat on the lure.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. She ate, so judge her fine and continue flight training while watching
2. Hood her, put her in a dark box to rest, and see a vet right now for suspected head trauma and wing injury
3. Pull and move the wings repeatedly to spread them and compare left and right
4. Water is said to help concussion, so pour water over her head to wake her up

AnswerB. Hood her, put her in a dark box to rest, and see a vet right now for suspected head trauma and wing injury

ExplanationHead tilt and reduced blinking after a collision indicate head trauma or brain injury, and a drooping right wing indicates a wing fracture or dislocation. Symptoms can worsen over time, and eating is no proof of safety. Darken with a hood, put the bird in a box too small for the wings to spread, do not jolt it, and transport right now to a hospital that treats raptors. Continuing to fly leads to a crash or a second accident. Pulling and moving the wing worsens a fracture and causes bleeding and nerve damage. Pouring water lowers body temperature and deepens shock.

IssuesLure training was done in woodland with many obstacles. Concluding that the bird was not seriously hurt because it ate after the collision is a typical error by owners who do not know the criteria for assessing a downed bird.

ImprovementDo lure training in open areas without power lines, trees or windows. After a collision do not fly; check the 4 points of head tilt, wing asymmetry, reduced blinking and bleeding, and see a vet if any one is present. Always keep a dark transport box and hood in the car.

July, molting season. After a 3-year-old male peregrine thrashed in his enclosure, blood is dripping from the right wing. On inspection, a growing flight feather (a new blood feather) has broken near the base and blood is flowing from the shaft. Blood is spreading on the floor and the bird is restless with the wing slightly drooped.

Which is the most appropriate first action?

1. Pulling the broken feather out at the root stops the bleeding, so pull it out with pliers
2. Press the broken feather shaft with clean gauze for a few minutes, apply styptic, and if it does not stop see a vet right now
3. The bleeding will stop on its own, so put him back in the enclosure, darken it and wait until morning
4. Wrap the whole wing tightly in a bandage and leave it for a few days

AnswerB. Press the broken feather shaft with clean gauze for a few minutes, apply styptic, and if it does not stop see a vet right now

ExplanationA growing feather (blood feather) has a blood vessel inside, and when broken it tends to keep bleeding. First press the feather shaft with clean gauze for a few minutes and apply styptic or cornstarch. If it still does not stop, or the blood loss is heavy, see a vet right now. Birds are small and even modest blood loss can cause shock. Pulling the feather can damage the follicle and increase bleeding; it is a procedure for the vet to decide on. Waiting until morning lets blood loss progress. Wrapping the whole wing tightly impedes breathing and deforms the feathers.

IssuesMolting season brings many easily broken blood feathers, yet the causes of thrashing in the enclosure (outside stimuli, cramped space) had not been removed. No styptic or gauze was kept on hand.

ImprovementDuring the molt keep the enclosure in a quiet spot and reduce stimuli so the bird does not thrash. Keep styptic, gauze and a hood on hand, and decide in advance to try 5 minutes of pressure and see a vet if bleeding does not stop. Broken feathers affect flight performance, so consult your vet about imping (feather grafting).

8 p.m. A 4-year-old female Harris's hawk was found on the ground at her tethering spot in the garden. She apparently took off startled by something, was pulled back by the leash and fell. The left wing hangs to the ground and she makes no attempt to lift it. There is swelling at the middle of the wing and she resists fiercely when touched. There is no skin wound or bleeding. The nearby hospital that treats raptors answers the phone at night.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. If it is a fracture, immobilization matters, so splint the wing yourself with chopsticks and a bandage
2. It may heal by itself by morning, so put her back in the enclosure, keep her warm and observe
3. Without touching the wing, hood her, keep her warm in a dark box, call the hospital and transport her tonight
4. Move the wing to see if it hurts, and if she does not react, conclude it is not a fracture

AnswerC. Without touching the wing, hood her, keep her warm in a dark box, call the hospital and transport her tonight

ExplanationA drooping, swollen wing with strong resistance to touch indicates a fracture or dislocation. Bird bones are hollow and sharp broken ends easily damage skin and blood vessels, so not touching or moving the wing is the top priority. Darken with a hood, place the bird in a box small enough that the wings cannot spread, keep it warm, call the hospital and transport. Amateur splinting displaces the bone and impairs blood flow, and misses other injuries. Waiting until morning lets swelling and pain drive shock, and poor bone healing can leave the bird unable to fly. Moving the wing to check worsens the fracture.

IssuesFactors that could startle the bird during nighttime tethering (cats, car headlights) had not been removed, and it was left out of sight after dark. The owner did not know not to splint a fracture themselves.

ImprovementDo not tether at night; house the bird in an enclosure or shed. Reduce startling factors during daytime tethering too, and review the leash length. Set a rule that wing asymmetry means transport without touching, and save the contact details of a raptor hospital with night service in your phone.

A February afternoon. A 2-year-old male Harris's hawk was free-flown on a riverbank. The wind was strong, the bird caught a thermal, rose rapidly, drifted downwind and disappeared from view. No transmitter was fitted, and his weight was slightly above baseline. There are only 2 hours until sunset. Calling his name and swinging the lure has brought no response.

Which is the most appropriate first action?

1. He may come back before sunset, so keep waiting on the spot
2. Move downwind, search with binoculars from high ground around the point where he was lost, and call him in with the lure and food
3. He will come back hungry tomorrow morning, so go home for today
4. Post on social media and wait for information without going to search yourself

AnswerB. Move downwind, search with binoculars from high ground around the point where he was lost, and call him in with the lure and food

ExplanationA lost bird is usually carried downwind, and the longer the delay the wider its range. The time before sunset is the most valuable: move in the direction it was lost, search with binoculars from high or open ground, and show the lure and food within the distance the bird responds to. Birds often sit on tall trees or utility poles. At the same time show photos to people nearby to gather sightings, and after dark notify the police, the public health center and social media. Simply waiting on the spot only puts more distance between you and the bird, and leaving it until the next day lets a raptor lose condition, get mobbed by crows or go feral. Posting online without moving yourself gives the lowest chance of all.

IssuesFree flight was carried out in conditions where strong wind creates thermals, with the bird slightly heavy, which makes recall unreliable. No transmitter was fitted, so there was no way to locate the bird.

ImprovementCheck the 3 conditions of wind speed, weather and weight before flying, and do not fly in strong wind or above baseline weight. Always fit a telemetry or GPS transmitter and check the receiver batteries every time. Prepare contacts for a loss (police, public health center, nearby falconers) and photos in advance.

During recall training with a 3-year-old female goshawk on a park lawn, a medium-sized dog off its leash ran up and lunged at the hawk, which was on the ground. After the dog was pulled off, the hawk is standing but her back feathers are ruffled and there is a small hole-like wound on her left flank oozing a little blood. She is breathing roughly with her mouth open, gripping the glove hard and not moving.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. The wound is small, so disinfect it at home and watch until the next day
2. Talk with the dog's owner, exchange contact details, then go home and observe
3. Treat even a small puncture from a dog's teeth as a deep wound, hood her and see a vet the same day
4. Give her a bath right away to clean the dirt and smooth the ruffled feathers

AnswerC. Treat even a small puncture from a dog's teeth as a deep wound, hood her and see a vet the same day

ExplanationA wound from a dog's teeth may look small on the surface but can reach deep, into the air sacs or internal organs. Bacteria from the dog's mouth cause serious infection within days, so even a small-looking wound needs a same-day vet visit to assess depth and start antimicrobial treatment. Open-mouth breathing and immobility are also signs of shock. Hood the bird, keep it warm and transport. Home disinfection alone cannot prevent deep infection. Dealing with the dog's owner is necessary, but treating the bird comes first. Bathing lowers body temperature and lets water into the wound, spreading infection.

IssuesRecall training, during which the bird may land on the ground, was done in a park where dogs are present. The owner lacked the knowledge that dog bites become serious even when they look small.

ImprovementChoose training sites with few dogs, and if a dog appears, put the bird on the glove and hood it. Make it a rule to see a vet after any dog attack regardless of wound size. Always carry a transport box and the hospital's contact details to training.

In the parking lot on the way home from training. As the owner got out of the back seat with a 4-year-old female peregrine on the glove, the bird spread her wings and a family member closing the door caught the tip of the right wing in it. It was opened immediately, but several feathers at the wing tip are bent and broken, and there is swelling and slight bleeding at the tip. She cannot fold the wing against her body and is trembling with it slightly open.

Which is the most appropriate first action?

1. Push the wing against her body by hand, put her in the transport box and see a vet the same day
2. Without touching the wing, hood her and put her in a dark box, press on the bleeding, and see a vet the same day
3. Trim the broken feathers with scissors to tidy them and check whether she can fly at the next day's training
4. The impact was light, so put her back in the enclosure and give extra food for the day

AnswerB. Without touching the wing, hood her and put her in a dark box, press on the bleeding, and see a vet the same day

ExplanationA wing tip caught in a door often suffers fractures or joint damage, and inability to fold the wing suggests bone or joint injury. Do not touch the wing; cover the eyes with a hood, place the bird in a dark box too small for the wings to spread to calm it, press any bleeding with gauze, and see a vet the same day. Forcing the wing closed displaces a fracture and damages vessels and nerves. Cutting broken feathers causes bleeding if they are blood feathers and delays assessment. Giving more food and watching leaves swelling and pain untreated and risks permanent loss of flight ability.

IssuesThe bird was carried on the glove while getting in and out of the car, and the family member did not check before closing the door. The basic rule of transporting in a dedicated box was skipped.

ImprovementAlways travel by car with the bird in a dedicated box or hooded, and never operate doors with the bird on the glove. Agree a family rule to call out before closing a door whenever the bird is in the car. Keep the transport box in the car at all times.

9 p.m. Hearing a noise and checking the shed, a 2-year-old female Harris's hawk has a toe of her left foot caught in the wire mesh on the wall and is flapping her wings. The toe is wedged in the mesh and the ankle is at an unnatural angle. Each time she struggles the foot is squeezed tighter, and feathers around the mesh are broken.

Which is the most appropriate first action?

1. Struggling makes it worse, so turn off the lights and wait until morning for her to calm down
2. Support her body and cover her head with a cloth to calm her, cut the mesh with wire cutters to free the foot, and see a vet the same day
3. Pull the foot upward out of the mesh, put her back on the perch and observe
4. Oil the mesh to make it slippery and wait for her to work herself free

AnswerB. Support her body and cover her head with a cloth to calm her, cut the mesh with wire cutters to free the foot, and see a vet the same day

ExplanationA bird with a toe caught in mesh twists the toe and ankle with every struggle, causing fractures, dislocation and loss of blood flow. First support the bird's body to take the force off the foot, cover its head with a cloth to darken and stop the struggling. Do not pull the toe; cut the mesh instead to free it. After release, check leg swelling, grip and toe color, and see a vet the same day if anything is abnormal. Waiting until morning cuts off blood flow and the toe dies. Pulling the foot free fractures the toe or strips the skin. Oil sticks to the feathers, reduces insulation and solves nothing.

IssuesUsing a wire-mesh cage for a raptor was itself the cause of the accident; vertical bars or netting should have been used. Factors that could startle the bird at night (wild animals approaching) were also not considered.

ImprovementUse vertical bars or soft netting for enclosure walls and never wire mesh. If mesh is unavoidable, use a gauge too fine for feet to enter and line the inside with boards. Keep wire cutters, a cloth and a towel near the shed, and keep wild animals from approaching and causing nighttime panics.

December, hunting season. The owner received wild duck meat shot by a hunter friend and fed it to a 5-year-old female goshawk 2 days in a row. This morning her droppings are bright green, she is wobbling and her wings are slightly drooped on the perch. She is eating more slowly. The owner later noticed small metal pellets left in the meat.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. Green droppings are from the duck's pigment, so change the food and observe
2. Suspect lead poisoning, bring the remaining prey and droppings to a vet the same day, and have the lead removed and treated
3. Give large amounts of water to flush out the metal and mix oil into the food as a laxative
4. Put salt water in her mouth with a dropper to make her vomit the metal

AnswerB. Suspect lead poisoning, bring the remaining prey and droppings to a vet the same day, and have the lead removed and treated

ExplanationMeat from prey killed with shot contains lead fragments, and raptors absorb lead in the digestive tract and develop lead poisoning. Green droppings, wobbling, drooped wings and reduced appetite are typical, progressing to seizures and death. Bring the remaining prey and the droppings, see a vet the same day, confirm the lead on X-ray, and have it removed and start chelation therapy. Dismissing green droppings as pigment lets the neurological signs advance. Forcing water or oil causes aspiration and is not a reliable way to clear lead. Inducing vomiting with salt water risks salt poisoning and aspiration and must never be done to a bird.

IssuesThe owner did not know that prey killed with shot contains lead and fed it without inspection. There was no clear distinction between prey that is safe for a raptor and prey that is not.

ImprovementGenerously cut away any area with shot wounds from hunted prey, or do not feed it. Never use prey of unknown origin. Record the color and amount of droppings daily, and see a vet immediately if green droppings coincide with neurological signs. Confirm a hospital that treats raptors before the hunting season.

After training, the owner noticed that the thin cord securing the transmitter to the tail feathers of a 3-year-old male Harris's hawk was missing. The bird had been pecking at the cord while eating meat on the lure. Back home he is restless with a bulging crop, and keeps stretching his neck and opening his mouth. The cord has not been found.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. It should come out with the pellet, so wait and check the next morning's pellet
2. Massage the crop to make him bring up the cord
3. Suspect a foreign body, stop feeding, and see a vet the same day for imaging
4. Give diluted vinegar to drink to dissolve the cord

AnswerC. Suspect a foreign body, stop feeding, and see a vet the same day for imaging

ExplanationString and cord are dangerous foreign bodies that tangle in the digestive tract and cause intestinal obstruction or perforation. A persistently full crop with neck stretching and mouth opening may be a sign that the object is lodged in the esophagus or crop. Stop feeding, see a vet the same day, locate it by imaging, and consider endoscopic or surgical removal. If it moves into the intestine while you wait for a pellet, removal becomes difficult. Massaging the crop to induce vomiting can send the cord into the airway and choke the bird or injure the esophagus. Vinegar does not dissolve cord and causes aspiration and mucosal damage.

IssuesThe transmitter was fitted with a mounting that could come loose, and the owner missed the bird pecking at the cord while being fed on the lure. Equipment was not checked before and after training.

ImprovementCheck the transmitter, jesses and leash before and after every session, and replace anything frayed or loose. Feed in an environment with no cords or hardware nearby. If equipment goes missing, consider that it may be in the digestive tract, check pellets and droppings, and see a vet immediately if anything is wrong.

2 p.m. in August, 35°C. A 4-year-old female Harris's hawk tethered in the shade in the garden ended up in direct sun as the sun moved. Her wings are spread and drooped, she is panting rapidly with her mouth wide open, and the bathing dish is dry. She will not step onto the offered glove and is unsteady on her feet.

Which is the most appropriate first action?

1. Move her indoors to a cool room immediately, wet her feet and under the wings, fan her, and see a vet the same day even if she settles
2. Plunge her body into a bucket of ice water to cool her quickly
3. Move her into the shade, give her a drink, and if she perks up continue tethering as before
4. Leave her where she is until evening so she gets used to the heat

AnswerA. Move her indoors to a cool room immediately, wet her feet and under the wings, fan her, and see a vet the same day even if she settles

ExplanationSpread and drooped wings, open-mouth breathing and unsteadiness are classic heatstroke, and raptors are heat-sensitive, so this is life-threatening. Move the bird to a cool place immediately, wet the feet, under the wings and other vessel-rich areas, and fan to bring body temperature down. Even if the bird comes round, organ damage can appear later, so see a vet the same day. Plunging into ice water constricts the blood vessels, traps heat and causes shock. Moving to shade alone does not lower body temperature, and continued tethering invites a relapse. Acclimatizing to heat does not work for raptors, and leaving the bird leads to death.

IssuesThe bird was tethered without accounting for the sun's movement, and the owner did not notice the bathing dish had dried out. Outdoor tethering in the middle of a 35°C day was dangerous in itself.

ImprovementIn summer tether outdoors only in the early morning and evening, and keep the bird in an air-conditioned room during the day when it exceeds 25°C. Choose a spot that stays fully shaded as the sun moves, and check the bathing dish every 2 hours. Keep a fan and spray bottle near the tethering spot.

An October night. A direct hit from a typhoon has caused a power outage and torn part of the roof off the garden shed. Inside is a 3-year-old female goshawk; wind and rain are blowing in and her feathers are soaked. The temperature is 18°C but the wind is strong, and she is huddled trembling in a corner of the shed. The house has no heating because of the outage. Wind and rain are expected to continue until morning.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. Throw a tarp over the damaged part of the shed and leave the bird in the shed
2. Bring her indoors, blot the water off with a towel, put her in a box to keep her warm and quiet, and keep her inside until the storm passes
3. Hold her over a camping stove flame as a substitute hair dryer to dry the wet feathers
4. Raptors tolerate cold even when wet, so do nothing and wait until morning

AnswerB. Bring her indoors, blot the water off with a towel, put her in a box to keep her warm and quiet, and keep her inside until the storm passes

ExplanationWet feathers lose their insulation, and in wind a bird loses body heat and becomes hypothermic even at 18°C. Bring the bird indoors, blot the water off by pressing with a towel, place it in a dark, quiet box and warm it indirectly, for example with a disposable hand warmer wrapped in cloth. Let the feathers air-dry and keep the bird indoors until the storm passes. Leaving it in a damaged shed exposes it to wind, rain and flying debris. Holding it over a flame risks burns and carbon monoxide poisoning and damages the feathers. A raptor's cold tolerance depends on dry feathers; leaving it wet is life-threatening.

IssuesDespite the typhoon forecast, the shed was not reinforced and no plan was made to move the bird indoors; nor were means of warmth for a power outage (hand warmers, blankets, transport box) prepared.

ImprovementWhen a typhoon or heavy snow is forecast, move the bird into a transport box or cage indoors the day before. Stock disposable hand warmers, blankets, a flashlight and a way to keep frozen feed cold during outages. Inspect the shed roof and walls and fit a windbreak on the windward side.

An owner keeping a 2-year-old female Harris's hawk. To cut feed costs, the owner is considering catching the feral pigeons that abound in the park to use as food, and a falconer acquaintance has encouraged this, saying pigeons are natural, nutritious food. Another Harris's hawk shares the home, and the human family includes a small child. The bird is healthy and is currently fed frozen quail.

Which is the most appropriate judgment on this idea?

1. Capturing wild pigeons without a permit is illegal under the Wildlife Protection and Hunting Management Act, and they are a source of Trichomonas and other infections, so do not feed them
2. Feeding raw is dangerous, but cooking them thoroughly first makes them fine
3. If you pick out sick pigeons and choose only healthy ones, they can be fed safely
4. Keeping the child away from the bird removes the infection risk, so catching and feeding them is fine

AnswerA. Capturing wild pigeons without a permit is illegal under the Wildlife Protection and Hunting Management Act, and they are a source of Trichomonas and other infections, so do not feed them

ExplanationCapturing wild birds, including feral pigeons, is not permitted without a license under the Wildlife Protection and Hunting Management Act and is illegal. Moreover, wild pigeons carry Trichomonas, pigeon pox, Salmonella and more at high rates and are the biggest source of infection for raptors. Infection spreads to the companion bird, and Salmonella also poses a risk to the child. Cooking changes the nutrition, destroying the value of whole prey with bones and organs, and does not resolve the legal problem. Infected pigeons cannot be identified by appearance, and asymptomatic carriers are common. Keeping the child away prevents neither the bird's infection nor the legal violation.

IssuesThe owner downplayed legal regulations and infection risk to save on feed costs, and accepted the baseless advice that natural prey is nutritious. Basic knowledge that capturing wild birds is illegal was lacking.

ImprovementBuy feed such as frozen quail, chicks, mice and rats from a reliable supplier, and either do not feed pigeon or limit it to frozen captive-bred pigeon. Learn the laws relevant to keeping raptors, such as the Wildlife Protection and Hunting Management Act and the Act on Conservation of Endangered Species. Consult your vet before changing the diet.

3 days ago the owner tried to grab a 4-year-old female Harris's hawk with an ungloved left hand and was deeply punctured on the back of the hand by a talon. It was rinsed under running water and covered with an adhesive bandage. Today the puncture site is red, swollen and hot, redness has spread to the wrist, there is throbbing pain and the fingers are hard to bend. The owner also has a slight fever.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. Apply over-the-counter ointment, put on a fresh bandage and watch for a few more days
2. Lance the swelling with a needle to drain the pus and wash with antiseptic
3. Report that a deep talon puncture has become infected and see a surgeon or emergency department the same day
4. The bird may be ill, so take the bird to the animal hospital first

AnswerC. Report that a deep talon puncture has become infected and see a surgeon or emergency department the same day

ExplanationA hawk's talon makes a sharp, deep puncture, and because the entry wound is small, bacteria multiply easily inside. Redness spreading to the wrist, heat, throbbing pain, stiff fingers and fever indicate deep infection or spread to the tendons, and if untreated this progresses to cellulitis, tenosynovitis or sepsis. See a surgeon or emergency department the same day, report that it is a puncture from an animal's talon, and receive antimicrobial treatment. Over-the-counter ointment cannot reach a deep infection. Draining the pus yourself spreads the infection. The bird's check-up can wait; treating the human infection comes first.

IssuesTrying to grab the bird without a glove caused the puncture, and a bandage alone was inadequate for a wound of that depth. The decision to seek care was delayed even once the redness spread.

ImprovementAlways use thick gloves when handling the bird and never reach toward its feet bare-handed. Rinse talon punctures under running water and, if deep, see a doctor the same day. Make it a rule to seek care without hesitation if redness, swelling or heat is worse the next day.

A January morning, recall training on a riverbank. A 2-year-old male Harris's hawk, whose food was cut the day before to bring him down to baseline weight, flapped his wings right after returning to the glove, could not grip, fell to the ground and went into a seizure. His eyes are open but unfocused and his body alternates between rigid and limp. It is 3°C and windy. The hospital is a 40-minute drive away.

Which is the most appropriate first action?

1. Hold him down until the seizure stops and pour water into his mouth
2. Move him into the warm car, darken and keep him warm, call the hospital and transport right now
3. It is hypoglycemia, so push a whole thawed quail into his mouth and make him eat
4. Seizures stop on their own, so watch on the spot and resume training once he settles

AnswerB. Move him into the warm car, darken and keep him warm, call the hospital and transport right now

ExplanationA seizure right after weight reduction on a cold morning strongly suggests a starvation-related hypoglycemic episode, a life-threatening emergency. Giving anything by mouth to a seizing bird causes aspiration and choking. Move the bird into the warm car, darken with a hood or cloth, keep it warm while calling the hospital, and transport right now. The hospital will give glucose and manage body temperature. Holding the bird down fractures wings and legs, and poured water enters the airway. Pushing prey into a bird that is not fully conscious causes choking. Treating a seizure as something that will pass is the most dangerous view, and resuming training leads to recurrence and death.

IssuesRapid weight reduction was carried out in midwinter when metabolism rises with the cold, and the bird's condition (responsiveness, grip) was not checked before training. The flying weight had been set by rule of thumb rather than with a vet.

ImprovementReduce weight by only a very small amount per day, and adjust baseline weight upward on cold days. Check grip, responsiveness and wing position before training and stop if anything is off. Bring small pieces of thawed meat and a warm box to the field in case of hypoglycemia, and decide on the destination hospital in advance.

7 a.m. Opening the shed, a 5-year-old female goshawk is lying on the floor not moving. She ate normally up to last night. She barely responds when approached and her eyes are half open. Her chest seems to rise and fall faintly, but breathing is shallow and slow. She feels colder than usual to the touch. The temperature in the shed dropped to 5°C overnight.

Which is the most appropriate first action?

1. Press hard on the chest and repeat cardiac massage
2. Blow into her mouth to give artificial respiration and continue until she revives
3. Check breathing and responsiveness, keep her dark, quiet and warm, call the hospital and transport right now
4. Put quail meat in her mouth and make her swallow it to give her energy

AnswerC. Check breathing and responsiveness, keep her dark, quiet and warm, call the hospital and transport right now

ExplanationLying on the floor with little response, shallow breathing and a cold body is an emergency suggesting hypothermia or shock from serious illness. Because of the structure of the keel, chest compressions cause fractures and organ damage in birds, so do not perform cardiac massage. First check breathing and consciousness from chest movement and response to stimuli, wipe any debris from around the beak to secure the airway, keep the bird warm at around 30°C in a dark, quiet box, call the hospital and transport right now. Mouth-to-beak breathing risks infection and airway injury and offers no real benefit. Forcing meat into a bird with reduced consciousness causes choking.

IssuesThe shed was allowed to drop to 5°C on a winter night, and signs the previous evening were missed. Reassured that the bird was fine until last night, the owner underestimated how well raptors hide illness.

ImprovementIn winter log the shed's nighttime temperature with a thermometer, and if it falls below 10°C add insulation or bring the bird indoors. Every night before bed check that the bird is on its perch with normal posture. Make sure the whole family knows not to perform cardiac massage on a bird, and that warmth and transport come first.

A 3-year-old female Harris's hawk left hanging by a tangled leash. After release, her right leg hangs limp and she cannot grip the perch. The hospital says it can see her in an hour. A family member will drive, but the owner is unsure how to carry the bird. She is excited, flapping her wings and will not settle even on the glove.

Which is the most appropriate way to transport her?

1. Sit in the passenger seat with her on the glove so she can see outside
2. Hood her and put her in a dark box too small for the wings to spread, with a non-slip lining, and carry her without jolting
3. Put her in a large cage so she can move freely, with the perch removed so she does not use the leg
4. Wrap her whole body tightly in a towel so she cannot move, and hold her down on your lap

AnswerB. Hood her and put her in a dark box too small for the wings to spread, with a non-slip lining, and carry her without jolting

ExplanationA bird with a suspected fracture suffers more damage the more it moves, so keeping it dark and still during transport is the top priority. Covering the eyes with a hood and placing it in a box too small for the wings to spread, with a non-slip lining, calms the bird and reduces the load on the leg. Keep the box level, do not let heating or air conditioning blow directly on it, and do not jolt it. On the glove, surrounding stimuli make the bird thrash and put weight on the leg. In a large cage it rolls with the car's motion and the fracture worsens. Wrapping tightly in a towel prevents breathing, as birds breathe by chest movement, and risks suffocation.

IssuesNo transport box had been prepared and there was no set procedure for a hanging incident. The owner lacked the basic knowledge that birds breathe by chest movement and must not be constricted.

ImprovementKeep a transport box sized for the bird (too small for the wings to spread and able to be darkened) with a non-slip mat inside. Always carry a hood, and follow the 3 rules for transport: dark, level and quiet. When calling the hospital, give the arrival time and symptoms.

1 a.m. Woken by a noise, the owner checks the shed and finds a 3-year-old female peregrine on her perch with her mouth open, her tail bobbing strongly with each breath. A wheezing sound can be heard and her wings are slightly drooped. She looked normal during the day, but her food intake has been slightly down for the past few days. The regular raptor hospital is open only in the daytime, but an emergency (after-hours) animal hospital 30 minutes away advertises that it sees birds.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. Call the after-hours hospital to confirm they will take her, then darken, keep her warm and transport right now
2. Raise the room temperature and watch until the regular vet opens at 9 a.m.
3. Open the shed windows wide to let in cold air so she can breathe more easily
4. Put an inhalation medicine found online into a humidifier and let her breathe it

AnswerA. Call the after-hours hospital to confirm they will take her, then darken, keep her warm and transport right now

ExplanationOpen-mouth breathing, tail bobbing and respiratory noise are emergency signs of respiratory failure in raptors, and the bird can deteriorate within hours. The cause is often aspergillosis or air-sac disease, requiring oxygen and treatment. Call the after-hours hospital to confirm they will accept the bird, keep her warm in a dark, quiet box and transport right now. Waiting until morning leaves respiratory failure to progress. Cold air lowers body temperature and worsens her condition. Inhaled drugs must never be given without a vet's diagnosis and prescription, and the irritation may make breathing even worse.

IssuesThe early warning sign of reduced appetite over several days was missed, and information on hospitals that see birds in a nighttime emergency had not been organized in advance. The criteria for judging the urgency of respiratory signs were vague.

ImprovementIf appetite is down for 2 days, watch breathing closely and see a vet during the day. Confirm the contact details and location of an after-hours hospital that sees birds and post them on the refrigerator. Make sure the family knows that open-mouth breathing, tail bobbing and respiratory noise mean see a vet right now.

January. A 4-year-old female goshawk kept in an outdoor shed. She is fed the same amount of quail daily as in autumn, but over the past week her weight has slipped from her baseline of 1,000 g to 950 g. Morning lows are around 0°C. She responds strongly to food and casts normal pellets, but spends long periods on the perch with her feathers fluffed up.

Which is the most appropriate interpretation and response?

1. Conclude that the cold has raised her energy needs, increase the food and check weight daily
2. She is closer to baseline weight and recall will work better, so increase training
3. Fluffing the feathers is just to keep warm, so there is no problem and the food amount stays the same
4. Illness is strongly suspected, so withhold food, fast her and observe

AnswerA. Conclude that the cold has raised her energy needs, increase the food and check weight daily

ExplanationAs temperature falls, the energy needed to maintain body temperature rises, and the same ration leads to weight loss. If food response is strong and pellets are normal, first assume the cold has raised her needs, increase the food and adjust by the morning weight. Long periods sitting fluffed up are a sign of cold and hunger, and if the decline continues she will starve. Treating weight loss as an opportunity for training is dangerous and a classic cause of winter starvation accidents. Leaving the food unchanged lets the decline continue. Fasting worsens her nutritional state further. If she keeps losing weight despite more food, or appetite drops, suspect illness and see a vet.

IssuesSeasonal changes in energy requirements were not reflected in the ration. A week-long downward weight trend was ignored, and the meaning of the fluffed-up posture was not read.

ImprovementLog weight, temperature and feeding amount in the same table, and increase food in advance as temperatures begin to drop. Set the winter baseline weight heavier than in autumn and agree an acceptable range with your vet. If time spent fluffed up and motionless increases, review the shed's insulation and the ration immediately.

November. An owner who has just acquired his first Harris's hawk, a 1-year-old male. He weighed 720 g on arrival; told by an acquaintance that 650 g is the right training weight, the owner halved the food for 5 days and brought him down to 660 g. Today the bird sits on the perch with narrowed eyes and does not move, and his grip is weak when the glove is offered. Droppings are scant and dark green, and pellets are small with a lot of mucus.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. He is close to target weight, so start recall training tomorrow as planned
2. Conclude the reduction was too fast, stop training, keep him warm and give a small amount of food; if he does not respond, see a vet the same day
3. The droppings look odd, so mix an antidiarrheal into his food
4. He is just not settled yet, so leave him alone in an empty room for a few days

AnswerB. Conclude the reduction was too fast, stop training, keep him warm and give a small amount of food; if he does not respond, see a vet the same day

ExplanationLosing 8% of body weight in 5 days is far too fast, and weak grip, immobility, scant green droppings and small mucus-laden pellets indicate starvation-related weakness and declining digestive function. Training weight depends on the individual's muscle mass and the season, and another person's figure must never be applied as is. First stop training, keep the bird warm, start with a small amount of easily digested meat in small pieces, and see a vet the same day if responsiveness and grip do not return. Starting training could be fatal. Mixing in human or avian laxatives or antidiarrheals on your own judgment burdens a starved digestive tract. Leaving him alone for days lets hypoglycemia advance.

IssuesThe owner applied someone else's rule-of-thumb figure to his own bird and reduced weight sharply without veterinary advice. Signs of weakness (weak grip, green droppings, mucus in pellets) were misread as the bird not being settled.

ImprovementDo not decide on a training weight immediately after acquisition; consult your vet based on build, muscle and season, and reduce weight by a few grams a day over several weeks. Record weight, grip, responsiveness and droppings every morning, and stop the reduction if any of them worsens. In the first month, prioritize a health check and fecal examination.

A juvenile female peregrine acquired from a breeder a week ago. After shipping, her weight has fallen from 980 g on arrival to 930 g. Shown thawed quail on the glove she looks away, and she will not eat it when placed at her feet. During the day she is tense with eyes wide open, and at night she is restless on the perch. Breathing and droppings are normal so far. A dog is barking in the next room.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. Move her to a quiet room to reduce stimulation, set her up to eat alone in the enclosure, and see a vet if she still does not eat the next day
2. Withhold food until she eats, continuing to tame her through hunger
3. To tame her, take her to crowded places and keep her on the glove for long periods
4. Pry her beak open and push in pieces of meat to force-feed her

AnswerA. Move her to a quiet room to reduce stimulation, set her up to eat alone in the enclosure, and see a vet if she still does not eat the next day

ExplanationShipping and a change of environment are severe stressors, and a tense bird stops eating. A barking dog and human eyes add to the stress, so first move her to a quiet room and leave food in the enclosure so she can eat unobserved. She has lost 5% since arrival; if she still does not eat the next day, see a vet for tests. Juvenile peregrines are prone to aspergillosis under post-shipping stress, and early detection matters. Withholding food until she eats accelerates weight loss and weakness. Crowds and long manning sessions add stress. Force-feeding causes aspiration and instills fear of people; it is a procedure for the vet to decide on.

IssuesNo quiet environment was prepared for the newly arrived bird, and she was kept in a room where a dog could be heard barking. Post-shipping weight loss and the disease risk of the stress period were not understood.

ImprovementPrepare a quiet dedicated room before the bird arrives and shut out any sign of dogs or cats. Minimize human contact for the first week after arrival and let her eat freely in the enclosure. Record weight on arrival and every morning, and see a vet at a 5% loss or 2 days without eating. Secure a hospital that treats raptors before bringing the bird home.

July. A 3-year-old female Harris's hawk. The molt has begun, several flight feathers have dropped and new ones are growing in, but the owner has kept her at training weight and continues daily recall training. The new feathers show horizontal lines of weakness (stress bars), and two growing feathers have broken. She responds sluggishly to training and her plumage has no sheen.

Which is the most appropriate interpretation and response?

1. Molting is a bodily process, so flying her for exercise will make the feathers grow in cleanly
2. Feather defects are genetic and nothing can be done; pull the broken feathers so new ones grow
3. Rest from training during the molt, raise her weight to improve nutrition, and consult the vet about imping the broken feathers
4. The dull plumage is from too little bathing, so hose her down every day

AnswerC. Rest from training during the molt, raise her weight to improve nutrition, and consult the vet about imping the broken feathers

ExplanationGrowing new feathers demands a lot of nutrition, and holding a bird at a low training weight through the molt produces horizontal weak lines (stress bars) and brittle feathers. The basic rule is to rest from training during this period, raise the weight and provide full nutrition with whole prey including bones and organs. Growing feathers that break contain blood vessels, so do not pull them; if flight is affected, consult the vet about imping (feather grafting). Continuing to train degrades feather quality and causes crash accidents. Feather defects are not genetic but an indicator of nutrition and stress. Hosing is stressful; bathing should be left to the bird's own initiative.

IssuesThe owner did not understand the falconry basic of raising weight and resting during the molt, and misread stress bars as a feather-quality problem. Feather condition was not being read as an indicator of nutritional status.

ImprovementStop training once the molt begins, keep the bird 10–15% above baseline weight and feed plenty of whole prey. Photograph the new feathers weekly, and review nutrition and environment if lines or breaks appear. Consult your vet so broken feathers can be repaired by imping before the season.

A 5-year-old female goshawk occasionally fed hunted rabbit and pheasant. She has recently become a little thin with dull plumage, and this morning's droppings contain several white rice-grain-like segments that, on close inspection, are moving slightly. Her appetite is fine and there is nothing wrong with her breathing or feet. The droppings are on the newspaper on the floor.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. Seal the droppings in a bag together with the newspaper, have a fecal examination within a few days and ask the vet to deworm
2. Mix a human dewormer into her food
3. Parasites pass on their own, so increase food to make up for the weight loss
4. It will clear up if wild prey is stopped, so just switch to frozen feed and watch

AnswerA. Seal the droppings in a bag together with the newspaper, have a fecal examination within a few days and ask the vet to deworm

ExplanationWhite segments in the droppings are most likely tapeworm proglottids, acquired through wild prey. Thinness and dull plumage are signs that nutrients are being taken. Seal the droppings with the newspaper, bring them in, have a fecal examination within a few days, and ask the vet to deworm with the drug appropriate to the species. Human dewormers are the wrong type and dose for birds and risk poisoning. Parasites are not cleared on their own, and extra food is simply taken by the worms. Switching to frozen feed is correct for preventing reinfection, but it does not remove the worms already inside.

IssuesThe owner did not know that wild prey carries parasite risk and had not been doing regular fecal examinations. Thinness and loss of feather sheen were not being used as early triggers for a vet visit.

ImprovementIf feeding wild prey, freeze it thoroughly and make fecal examinations twice a year a routine. Observe the color, shape and any foreign matter in the droppings daily and record them with photos. If weight loss and dull plumage appear together, see a vet within a few days. Deworm only on a vet's prescription.

A 4-year-old male Harris's hawk. Yesterday during training he chased prey into thick brush, and today he keeps his left eye closed. When he opens it briefly the surface is cloudy white, the surrounding tissue is red and the eye is watering. He startles when approached from the left and hesitates to land on the glove. His appetite is normal.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. Rinse the eye with tap water, apply human eye drops and observe
2. A closed eye just means he is sleepy, so do nothing until tomorrow
3. Continue flight training to make him use the eye and wait for it to heal on its own
4. Suspect a corneal injury or infection, do not touch the eye, and see a vet the same day

AnswerD. Suspect a corneal injury or infection, do not touch the eye, and see a vet the same day

ExplanationA closed eye, corneal clouding, redness and watering after going into brush indicate a corneal injury or infection. For a raptor, eyesight is life, and corneal injuries progress quickly, sometimes to ulceration or blindness within days. Do not touch the eye; see a vet the same day for ophthalmic examination and treatment. Rinsing with tap water irritates, and human eye drops contain ingredients unsuited to birds and may make it worse. Taking a closed eye for sleepiness is dangerous, and waiting until tomorrow deepens the injury. Flying with impaired vision in one eye leads to collisions and crashes.

IssuesThe risk of eye injury when training around brush was not considered, and the eyes were not checked after training. The urgency of an eye problem was underestimated.

ImprovementAfter every session check both eyes for opening, clouding and redness. Avoid pursuits in brush or dense branches, or do them only once the bird's weight and conditions are right. Treat eye problems as same-day vet visits, and know a hospital that can provide avian ophthalmic care.

A 3-year-old female Harris's hawk out hunting. She caught a large wild hare, struggled with it and was kicked by its hind legs. On retrieval, feathers are missing from her chest and there is a 3 cm tear in the skin with fat visible. Bleeding is slight, and she is excited but able to stand. The hospital is a 50-minute drive from the field.

Which is the most appropriate first action?

1. Hood her, flush the wound with saline, cover with gauze, and see a vet the same day
2. Let her eat the prey to calm her, then wash the wound with antiseptic after getting home
3. It is a small wound, so wipe off the dirt and blood and let her go after the next prey
4. Close the wound with superglue to stop the bleeding before heading home

AnswerA. Hood her, flush the wound with saline, cover with gauze, and see a vet the same day

ExplanationA torn wound with fat exposed needs suturing, and early treatment matters to prevent bacterial infection from the hare's claws and soil. First hood the bird to reduce excitement, flush the wound with carried saline to remove dirt, cover it with clean gauze and see a vet the same day. Letting her eat raises blood pressure and body temperature, increases bleeding and gets prey fluids into the wound. Continuing to hunt with an untreated wound widens it and advances infection. Superglue damages tissue and traps bacteria inside, forming an abscess.

IssuesThe bird was set on prey too large for her size, and the risk of injury in a struggle was underestimated. Field first-aid supplies (saline, gauze, hood) were inadequate.

ImprovementChoose prey appropriate to the bird's size, and assist quickly if a struggle drags on. Always carry a first-aid kit, and make flush, protect and same-day vet visit the standard for wounds. After every hunt feel and check the chest, flanks and feet, and record even small wounds.

A 4-year-old female peregrine after thrashing in her enclosure. The talon of the hind toe on her left foot has come out completely at the root and blood is flowing from the tip of the toe. The talon is lying on the floor. She stands on the perch on her right foot only with the left held up, and the bleeding has not stopped after several minutes.

Which is the most appropriate first action?

1. Press the lost talon back into place and tape it on
2. The bleeding will stop on its own, so darken the enclosure and wait until morning
3. Hood her, press the toe tip with clean gauze for a few minutes, apply styptic, and see a vet the same day
4. Pour antiseptic directly onto the toe tip and let it dry, and switch to a harder perch

AnswerC. Hood her, press the toe tip with clean gauze for a few minutes, apply styptic, and see a vet the same day

ExplanationWhen a talon comes out at the root, blood vessels and part of the bone are exposed; bleeding tends to persist and infection can lead to osteomyelitis or necrosis of the toe. Hood the bird to calm it, press the toe tip with clean gauze for a few minutes and apply styptic. Even once bleeding stops, the exposed area needs protection and antimicrobial treatment, so see a vet the same day. A lost talon will not reattach, and taping it on traps bacteria. Waiting until morning lets blood loss weaken the bird and infection advance. Antiseptic poured directly on damages tissue, and a hard perch increases pressure on the injured foot and causes bumblefoot.

IssuesThe causes of thrashing in the enclosure (outside stimuli, cramped space, mesh) were left unaddressed, and talon length and perches were not being checked. No styptic was kept on hand and there was no first-aid procedure.

ImprovementKeep styptic, gauze and a hood near the shed. Place the enclosure in a quiet spot where the bird is unlikely to thrash, and eliminate mesh and gaps that can catch feet. Keep talons at an appropriate length, and use daily foot checks to catch loose talons or problems at the base early.

A 2-year-old male Harris's hawk. The leather anklets fitted a year ago have never been replaced and the leather has hardened and shrunk. Checking his feet today, the skin under the anklet is red and raw, the feathers are worn away and there is slight bleeding. He keeps pecking at the leg.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. Remove the anklets, replace them with soft ones of the correct size, flush the wound with saline, and see a vet if the redness spreads
2. Leave the anklets in place until the wound heals and wrap a bandage over them
3. The leather hardened from dryness, so oil it and keep using it
4. Make a homemade Elizabethan collar and fit it to stop the pecking

AnswerA. Remove the anklets, replace them with soft ones of the correct size, flush the wound with saline, and see a vet if the redness spreads

ExplanationHardened, shrunken anklets rub the skin and cause rawness and infection. First remove the anklets and replace them with new soft ones of the correct size. Flush the wound with saline and keep it clean. If redness or swelling spreads, pus appears, or the bird keeps the foot raised, see a vet. Bandaging over the anklets that caused the problem lets the rubbing continue and traps moisture, making it worse. Oiling does not restore hardened leather or fix the sizing. A homemade Elizabethan collar stresses the bird, causes falls and does not remove the root cause.

IssuesThe owner did not recognize that anklets and jesses deteriorate with age and need regular replacement, and the skin at the ankles was not checked routinely. There was little awareness that equipment maintenance is directly tied to the bird's health.

ImprovementInspect anklets, jesses and swivel daily, and replace them at any sign of hardening, cracking or poor fit. Condition the leather regularly and resize as the bird's feet grow or weight changes. Record the state of the ankle skin and feathers once a week and act at the first sign of redness.

A 5-year-old female goshawk with a habit of biting the bars of her metal cage. Today the owner noticed the tip of her upper beak has chipped off at an angle. A little blood is seeping from the chipped area, tearing food takes her a long time and she drops it partway. She keeps rubbing her beak on the perch.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. File the chipped area into shape yourself with a nail file
2. Beaks grow back, so give lots of hard bones to wear it down
3. Press the bleeding with gauze, cut food into small pieces, and see a vet the same day to discuss reshaping the beak
4. Fast her for a few days until the pain subsides so she does not use the beak

AnswerC. Press the bleeding with gauze, cut food into small pieces, and see a vet the same day to discuss reshaping the beak

ExplanationA chipped, bleeding beak tip that cannot tear food directly affects feeding, and left alone leads to weight loss and a widening chip. Press the bleeding lightly with gauze, cut food into swallowable pieces to maintain nutrition, and see a vet the same day for beak reshaping (coping) and assessment of the damage. Filing it yourself can cut into the area carrying blood vessels and nerves, causing bleeding and severe pain. A chipped beak cannot handle hard bones and may split further. Several days of fasting carries starvation risk for a raptor and slows wound healing.

IssuesThe habit of biting the metal bars was left unaddressed and the cage material was not reviewed. The owner underestimated how directly a beak problem affects feeding and nutrition, and did not understand that reshaping is a job for a professional.

ImprovementUse a wooden-framed enclosure with vertical bars or soft netting so the bird cannot bite metal bars. Check beak shape and length weekly, and have the vet reshape it if overgrown or chipped. Immediately after a chip, cut food into small pieces to ensure intake and check weight daily.

In the evening, checking the shed, a 3-year-old female Harris's hawk is crouched on the floor; she braces both legs to try to stand but drags the left leg. The perch is 1.5 m high and the floor is concrete covered only with newspaper. The shin area of the left leg is swollen, and she strikes with her beak when the owner tries to touch it. There is no bleeding.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. Straighten the leg to check whether the bone is displaced, and if it is straight, put her back on the perch
2. She is aggressive, so judge that she has recovered, leave food and watch until the next day
3. Spread a blanket on the floor, set her on it, and mix a human painkiller into her food
4. Do not touch the leg; cover her head with a cloth, put her in a dark box to keep warm, and see a vet the same day for a suspected fracture

AnswerD. Do not touch the leg; cover her head with a cloth, put her in a dark box to keep warm, and see a vet the same day for a suspected fracture

ExplanationLeg swelling and dragging after a fall from a high perch onto a hard floor strongly suggest a fracture or dislocation. An aggressive reaction is due to pain, not evidence of recovery. Do not touch the leg; cover the head with a cloth or hood to darken, place the bird in a box too small for the wings to spread, keep it warm, and have imaging the same day at a hospital that treats raptors. Straightening the leg to check displaces the fracture and damages nerves and vessels. Waiting until the next day lets swelling and pain drive shock, and poor bone healing may leave her unable to grip a perch. Human painkillers can cause poisoning and kidney damage in birds and must never be given.

IssuesA high perch was installed over a concrete floor with only newspaper, an environment that absorbs none of the impact of a fall. The cause of the fall (fright, illness, leash tangle) was not identified.

ImprovementCover the shed floor with impact-absorbing material such as gravel or matting, and review perch height and placement. Investigate the cause of the fall and eliminate things that startle the bird at night. Make it a rule that a swollen or dragging leg means transport without touching, and never medicate, including painkillers, on your own judgment.

On a rainy day, worried about lack of exercise, the owner let a 2-year-old male Harris's hawk fly freely in the living room. The bird flew toward a large window, hit the glass head-on and fell to the floor. He lay still for a few seconds, then got up. There is a little blood at the base of the beak and he is shaking his head in small jerks. His eyes are open but he responds slowly when called.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. He got up, so judge him unharmed and fly him again to check his flight
2. Head shaking is to clear the blood, so wipe the beak, return him to the enclosure and feed as usual
3. To cheer him up, swing the lure to call him in and let him eat to calm down
4. Keep him warm and quiet in a dark box, and see a vet right now for suspected head trauma

AnswerD. Keep him warm and quiet in a dark box, and see a vet right now for suspected head trauma

ExplanationA head-on collision with glass causes head trauma and brain injury, and even after the bird gets up, brain swelling or bleeding can progress over several hours. Head shaking, slow responses and bleeding from the base of the beak are danger signs. Keep the bird warm and quiet in a dark box, do not jolt it, and see a vet right now. Flying again leads to a second collision or crash. Feeding as usual risks aspiration from a reduced level of consciousness. Exciting the bird with the lure raises blood pressure and worsens intracranial bleeding.

IssuesThe owner flew the bird without markers on the window glass, unaware that raptors cannot perceive glass. Getting up after the collision was misread as proof of safety.

ImprovementIf flying indoors, put curtains or markers on windows and mirrors and use only a room free of obstacles. On rainy days substitute short jump-up exercises to the glove. After a collision check for head tilt, slow responses, bleeding and head shaking, and if any one is present, do not fly and see a vet.

Lure training with a 3-year-old female goshawk in the garden. While she was mantling over the lure on the ground, wings spread to cover it, a family member walking by without noticing stepped on her tail feathers and the tip of her left wing. She screamed, leapt up and came back down dragging the wing. Several tail feathers are out and she cannot fold the left wing against her body.

Which is the most appropriate first action?

1. Support her body without touching the wing, hood her, put her in a dark box and see a vet the same day
2. Spread both wings to compare left and right, and if they move the same, judge there is no problem
3. Tail feathers grow back, so let her eat the lure and end the session
4. She may thrash from pain, so press the wing against her body and wrap her in a towel to immobilize it

AnswerA. Support her body without touching the wing, hood her, put her in a dark box and see a vet the same day

ExplanationA wing tip that has been stepped on and cannot be folded suggests a fracture or joint injury. Support the bird's body without touching the wing, darken with a hood, place her in a box too small for the wings to spread, and have imaging the same day. Spreading the wings to compare moves the injured part and worsens it. Lost tail feathers regrow, but a neglected wing injury leaves lasting damage to flight. Ending the session by letting her eat the lure delays assessment. Pressing the wing in and wrapping in a towel displaces a fracture, and because birds breathe by chest movement, risks suffocation.

IssuesThe family did not know that a mantling bird cannot see its surroundings and will not move, and people were able to walk around during training. The area around a bird on the ground was not secured.

ImprovementDuring training tell family and visitors where the bird is, and make it a rule not to approach a bird on the ground. Place the lure away from foot traffic, and stand beside the bird and watch the surroundings while it is mantling. If the bird is stepped on, transport without touching the wings or legs.

A 2-year-old male Harris's hawk lost in free flight 2 days ago. Following the transmitter signal, the owner found him this morning perched on top of a utility pole in a residential area. He recognizes the owner but will not come down to the swung lure, and several crows are harassing him. The nearby wires are high-voltage lines, and the road beneath the pole is busy.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. Climb the pole and catch him by hand before losing sight of him again
2. Keep swinging the lure on the road beneath the pole and wait until he comes down
3. Set live food or the lure in a safe spot away from the road, drive off the crows, move to a distance the bird will come to on his own, and wait
4. Throw stones to flush him off the pole and catch him when he comes down

AnswerC. Set live food or the lure in a safe spot away from the road, drive off the crows, move to a distance the bird will come to on his own, and wait

ExplanationOn the second day of a loss, the bird has lost weight and become warier; even if its food response remains, it is reluctant to come down in crowded places or onto roads. First drive off the crows to settle the bird, show the lure or food in a safe spot away from the road, move to a distance the bird will come to on its own, and wait. Climbing the pole risks electrocution from high-voltage lines and a fall, and is something that would require notifying the power company. Calling the bird onto the road means it can be hit by a car the moment it lands. Throwing stones drives it farther away and destroys trust.

IssuesNo retrieval procedure for a loss had been decided in advance, and the danger of recalling in a residential area with people and cars was not anticipated. A transmitter was fitted, but there was no preparation for environmental risks such as crows and high-voltage lines.

ImprovementBase retrieval after a loss on luring the bird to a safe spot, and never call it near roads or high-voltage lines. Check the transmitter battery and receiver every time, and notify the police, public health center and neighbors from the first day. After retrieval, weigh the bird and see a vet immediately if it is weak or injured.

A 4-year-old female Harris's hawk took off from the glove with the leash still attached, which the owner had forgotten to remove, and the leash tangled in a branch 6 m up in a park tree, leaving her hanging. She is upside down, flapping, and her movements are gradually weakening. The branch is thin, not strong enough for a person to climb. Onlookers are beginning to gather.

Which is the most appropriate first action?

1. Shake the branch to drop her and catch her below
2. Wait quietly for her to get back onto the branch by herself
3. Call the fire department or park management to request a high-access rescue, and in the meantime improvise a way to take the load off her legs with a long pole or net
4. Swing the lure to make her thrash until the leash breaks

AnswerC. Call the fire department or park management to request a high-access rescue, and in the meantime improvise a way to take the load off her legs with a long pole or net

ExplanationHanging causes leg fractures and loss of blood flow, and weakening movements show that exhaustion is setting in; this is an emergency. At a height you cannot climb, ask the fire department or park management for a high-access rescue, and while waiting, support the bird's body from below with a long pole or net to take the load off her legs. After rescue, check leg swelling and grip and see a vet the same day. Shaking the branch to drop her causes fractures from the fall and is fatal if the catch fails. Waiting for her to recover on her own lets the leg damage progress. Making her thrash tightens the tangle and accelerates fractures and exhaustion.

IssuesFailing to confirm that the leash was removed before flying is the most basic and serious procedural error in falconry. There were also no contacts or tools prepared for a tangle at height.

ImprovementMake a habit of saying the pre-flight check aloud in order: leash, swivel, transmitter. Carry the contact details of the site manager and fire department, and keep rescue tools such as a long pole and net in the car. After a rescue from hanging, do not fly the bird; have the legs checked by a vet.

A 3-year-old female goshawk tethered near a barn caught a brown rat that was staggering along and ate half of it. Rodenticide had been put out in the barn just last week. The bird is fine for now and responds to food, but the owner has realized the rat may have been weakened by the poison.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. Take away the rest of the rat, note the rodenticide product name, see a vet the same day and discuss preventive treatment for poisoning
2. She is fine for now, so see a vet only if symptoms appear
3. Give salt water to make her vomit and expel the poison
4. Give milk as an antidote and check the next morning's droppings

AnswerA. Take away the rest of the rat, note the rodenticide product name, see a vet the same day and discuss preventive treatment for poisoning

ExplanationMost rodenticides are anticoagulants and cause secondary poisoning in raptors through poisoned rats. Symptoms appear as a bleeding tendency several days after ingestion, and by then the bird is already in serious condition. While she still looks well, retrieve the rest of the rat, note the product name and active ingredient, see a vet the same day and discuss preventive antidote treatment. By the time symptoms appear, internal bleeding is advanced. Inducing vomiting with salt water is dangerous for birds, causing aspiration and salt poisoning. Milk has no antidote effect and causes digestive upset.

IssuesThe bird was tethered where rodenticide was in use, and the possibility of her catching and eating a wild rat was not anticipated. Knowledge that secondary rodenticide poisoning has a delayed onset was lacking.

ImprovementDo not tether or train near places where rodenticide is used. If the bird catches a wild rodent or a weakened animal, take it away immediately. Know the product name of any rodenticide in use, and if ingestion is possible, see a vet the same day even without symptoms. Watch for bleeding tendency and lethargy for several days as signs of poisoning.

With a 4-year-old male Harris's hawk still inside, the owner sprayed a chlorine-based disinfectant on the shed floor and walls to clean it. The door was opened only slightly for ventilation while work continued, and 30 minutes later the bird is breathing with his mouth open, squinting with watery eyes, and slumped with his wings drooped. A strong chemical smell lingers in the shed.

Which is the most appropriate first action?

1. He will settle once he gets used to the smell, so close the shed door and keep it quiet
2. Move him to fresh air immediately, gently rinse his eyes and beak with clean water, and if he is struggling to breathe, see a vet right now
3. Douse him with water to wash off the chemical and put him back in the shed
4. Give milk to neutralize it and watch until the next morning

AnswerB. Move him to fresh air immediately, gently rinse his eyes and beak with clean water, and if he is struggling to breathe, see a vet right now

ExplanationA bird's respiratory system is highly efficient and absorbs chemical vapors rapidly, causing mucosal irritation and respiratory distress. Open-mouth breathing, watery eyes and collapse are signs of poisoning: first move the bird to fresh air and gently rinse any chemical from the eyes and beak with clean water. If breathing does not improve or open-mouth breathing continues, see a vet right now for oxygen and other treatment. The bird does not get used to the smell, and closing the door raises the concentration. Dousing the whole body lowers body temperature, and returning him to a shed with residual chemical re-exposes him. Milk has no neutralizing effect and risks aspiration.

IssuesThe chemical was sprayed with the bird still in the shed, without understanding that avian respiratory systems are extremely sensitive to chemicals. There was no procedure or ventilation plan for disinfection.

ImprovementAlways move the bird elsewhere before disinfecting or cleaning, and return it only after the chemical has fully dried and the space is ventilated. Confirm bird-safe disinfectants with your vet and wipe rather than spray. Do not use fogging insecticides or strongly scented products in any space where the bird is kept.

A winter evening. A 2-year-old male peregrine was being flown in the living room, which opens onto the kitchen. A family member accidentally left a nonstick (PTFE-coated) frying pan heating empty; no smoke was visible but there was a burnt smell. A few minutes later the bird dropped to the floor, breathing hard with his mouth open, wings spread and trembling. The kitchen exhaust fan was not on.

Which is the most appropriate first action?

1. Close the kitchen door until the burnt smell clears and let the bird rest in the living room
2. Wrap him in a wet towel to cool his body and watch once he settles
3. Move him immediately to another room or outdoors into fresh air, darken and keep him warm, and see a vet right now
4. The smell is the cause, so give him water to rinse out his mouth

AnswerC. Move him immediately to another room or outdoors into fresh air, darken and keep him warm, and see a vet right now

ExplanationOverheating nonstick (PTFE-coated) cookware releases an invisible toxic gas, and birds develop respiratory failure within minutes. Severe open-mouth breathing and trembling indicate serious lung damage with a high mortality rate. Move the bird immediately to a place free of the gas, darken and keep it warm, and see a vet right now for oxygen and other treatment. Closing the kitchen door does nothing about the gas already in the living room. A wet towel lowers body temperature and worsens shock. Giving water does not improve lung damage and risks aspiration in a bird in respiratory distress.

IssuesThe bird was flown in a room connected to the kitchen, and the family did not know that gas from overheated nonstick cookware is lethal to birds. There were no rules on cooking or ventilation in the space where the bird is kept.

ImprovementKeep the bird's room completely separate from the kitchen, and close the door and run the exhaust fan while cooking. Make sure the family knows never to heat nonstick cookware empty, and switch to other materials if possible. Also identify other sources of gases harmful to birds (irons, new heaters, aerosol sprays).

A major earthquake struck late at night; the house is partly damaged and aftershocks continue. The owner keeps a 3-year-old female Harris's hawk; the shed survived but the bird is agitated and flapping her wings. The city has issued an evacuation order and the family is heading to the elementary school shelter. The owner must decide whether to take the bird and how to carry her.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. Leave the bird in the shed with extra food and water and evacuate with the family only
2. Walk to the shelter with her on the glove and keep her on your arm at the shelter
3. Take her out of the shed, remove the leash and let her fly free so she can escape, then evacuate
4. Hood her, put her in the transport box, take frozen feed and her records, and at the shelter keep her somewhere quiet such as the car or a separate room

AnswerD. Hood her, put her in the transport box, take frozen feed and her records, and at the shelter keep her somewhere quiet such as the car or a separate room

ExplanationLeaving the bird in a damaged house risks death from aftershocks, fire or intruding wild animals, and releasing her is no answer: a captive raptor cannot survive in the wild, and there are risks of harm to people and legal problems. Hood the bird, put her in the transport box, and evacuate with frozen feed, ice packs, records and the CITES registration certificate. At the shelter, avoid areas crowded with people and dogs and keep her quietly in the car or in a separate room arranged with the shelter staff. On the glove in a crowded shelter, the bird becomes agitated and talon injuries occur.

IssuesThere was no disaster evacuation plan for the bird, and no decisions had been made about a transport box, feed stocks or how to manage her at a shelter. The owner had not anticipated that raptors are difficult animals to accommodate at shelters.

ImprovementAssemble an evacuation kit in one place: transport box, hood, several days of frozen feed, ice packs, records and registration certificate. Decide on several evacuation options in advance, such as the car, relatives' homes or facilities that will accept the bird. Once a year practice putting the bird in the transport box for a short trip so she is used to it.

January. A 4-year-old female goshawk kept in a sealed shed in the garden. Opening the shed in the morning, condensation is dripping from the walls and ceiling and the newspaper on the floor is damp. Her feathers are damp and flattened, and she sneezes now and then. To keep out cold drafts, every gap in the shed had been sealed, and a heater was run at night.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. Add a ventilation opening to release moisture, replace the floor covering with dry material, and see a vet if the sneezing continues
2. Turn the heater up even higher to dry out the shed and prevent condensation
3. Cover the shed in plastic sheeting to shut out the outside air completely
4. Hold the bird in front of a hair dryer on hot to dry the damp feathers

AnswerA. Add a ventilation opening to release moisture, replace the floor covering with dry material, and see a vet if the sneezing continues

ExplanationRunning a heater in a sealed shed traps moisture; condensation dampens the feathers and reduces insulation, and damp flooring grows mold that causes aspergillosis. Sneezing is a sign of respiratory irritation. Add a ventilation opening to release moisture, replace the flooring with dry material, and block drafts with a windbreak positioned so air does not blow directly on the bird. If sneezing continues or respiratory noise or open-mouth breathing appears, see a vet. Turning up the heater leaves the moisture source in place and increases condensation through the temperature difference. Plastic sheeting seals the shed even further. Hot air from a dryer causes burns and drying irritation.

IssuesThe shed was sealed against the cold with no thought to ventilation or humidity control. The owner lacked the knowledge that raptors tolerate cold well with dry feathers and that damp is the real enemy.

ImprovementFit ventilation openings positioned out of direct drafts, and place a hygrometer to keep humidity at 50–60%. Use absorbent flooring such as gravel or newspaper, change it daily and never use straw. If using a heater, check for condensation every morning, and treat sneezing or respiratory noise as a trigger for an early vet visit.

11 a.m. in July, 31°C. Stopping at a convenience store on the way home from training, the owner left a 3-year-old male Harris's hawk in his transport box in the car, with the engine off and a window slightly open. Returning after 10 minutes, the car was stiflingly hot, and the bird in the box has his mouth wide open, wings spread, slumped and responding sluggishly.

Which is the most appropriate first action?

1. Turn the car's air conditioning to maximum and wait for him to cool down inside the box
2. Take him out of the box immediately, move him to a cool shaded spot, wet his feet and under the wings, fan him, and see a vet the same day
3. Press ice from a cold drink directly onto his body to cool him rapidly
4. The slow responses are just tiredness, so give him a bath once home

AnswerB. Take him out of the box immediately, move him to a cool shaded spot, wet his feet and under the wings, fan him, and see a vet the same day

ExplanationIn summer a car exceeds 40°C within 10 minutes even with a window cracked, and a transport box traps still more heat. Open-mouth breathing, spread wings and collapse are classic heatstroke: take the bird out of the box immediately, move it to cool shade, wet the feet, under the wings and other vessel-rich areas, and fan. Even if the bird comes round, organ damage can appear later, so see a vet the same day. Leaving him in the box until the air conditioning takes effect does not lower body temperature. Ice applied directly constricts the vessels, traps heat and damages tissue. Going home assuming tiredness is a potentially fatal misjudgment.

IssuesThe owner did not appreciate how fast a car heats up in summer or that the inside of a transport box gets hotter than the outside air. The complacency of "just 10 minutes" is the classic cause of heatstroke accidents in raptors.

ImprovementIn summer never leave the bird in the car for even a minute. Train only in the early morning and make no stops on the way home. Keep ice packs, water, a spray bottle and a portable fan in the car, and fit the transport box with vents and an ice pack. Make sure the family knows the early signs of heatstroke (open-mouth breathing, drooped wings).

An owner who has kept a female Harris's hawk for 2 years received an adult male Harris's hawk from an acquaintance and tethered him the same day on the neighboring perch in the same shed. The feeding platform and bathing dish are shared. A week later, the resident female began dropping food and a white mass is visible in her mouth. The new male had not had a health check.

Which is the most appropriate lesson from this situation?

1. Have both birds seen by a vet at the same time, care for them separately, and isolate the new bird until testing is complete
2. Have only the resident female seen, and leave the male in the same shed since he seems fine
3. Wash out both birds' mouths yourself, remove the mass and observe
4. The infection is due to the resident female's constitution, so move only her to another shed

AnswerA. Have both birds seen by a vet at the same time, care for them separately, and isolate the new bird until testing is complete

ExplanationA new bird can carry Trichomonas or viruses without symptoms, and infection spreads through shared water and feeding platforms. The white mass in the resident female's mouth suggests trichomoniasis; have both birds, including the male as the likely source, seen by a vet the same day for testing and treatment. Care for the healthy bird first, keep equipment separate, and isolate the new bird until test results are back. Even a healthy-looking male can be a carrier. Removing a mass from the mouth yourself risks bleeding and choking. Blaming the female's constitution and moving only her does nothing about the source of infection.

IssuesThe new bird was housed together without quarantine or a health check, and the feeding platform and bathing dish were shared. The owner did not know the basics of infection control with multiple birds (isolation, separate equipment, order of care).

ImprovementHave a new bird examined on the day of arrival, including fecal and oral tests, and isolate it in a separate room for at least 2 weeks. Give each bird its own feeding platform, bathing dish, glove and perch, care for the healthy bird first and wash hands in between. Compare the two birds' weight and eating daily to catch problems early.

The owner swept out a 4-year-old female peregrine's shed, where dried droppings had built up on the floor, with a broom and without a mask. A few days later the owner developed a 39°C fever, a dry cough and severe fatigue. The bird has recently had slightly loose droppings and seems a little off, though she is eating. The owner is taking over-the-counter cold medicine.

Which is the most appropriate response for the owner?

1. Keep taking the cold medicine and wait to recover, caring for the bird as usual
2. The bird is not ill, so treat the symptoms as unrelated and ignore them
3. See a doctor and report inhaling dust from dried droppings, and take the bird to a vet reporting the abnormal droppings
4. Clean the shed again, then put the bird outside to sunbathe

AnswerC. See a doctor and report inhaling dust from dried droppings, and take the bird to a vet reporting the abnormal droppings

ExplanationInhaling dust from dried bird droppings can transmit psittacosis; high fever, dry cough and fatigue are typical, and it becomes serious if it progresses to pneumonia. Telling the doctor that you keep a raptor and inhaled the dust leads to the right tests and treatment. On the bird's side, abnormal droppings and lethargy may also indicate infection, so have her examined and tested. This is not an illness cold medicine cures, and ignoring it is dangerous. Assuming your symptoms are unrelated to the bird delays diagnosis. Cleaning again risks inhaling the dust once more and does nothing for the bird's illness.

IssuesDried droppings were swept while dry, raising dust that was inhaled, and no mask was worn. Knowledge of zoonoses was lacking, so the bird's abnormal droppings and the owner's fever were not connected.

ImprovementMist droppings with a spray bottle before cleaning and wear a mask and gloves. Remove droppings daily and do not let them dry out. If you develop fever or cough, always tell the doctor you keep birds. See a vet promptly for abnormal droppings or lethargy in the bird, and make an annual health check routine.

A 2-year-old female Harris's hawk that collided with a fence. The skin at the base of the right wing is torn and blood keeps flowing, staining the glove red. She is excited and flapping, and each flap increases the bleeding. The hospital is a 30-minute drive. On hand are gauze, saline, a hood and styptic.

Which is the most appropriate first action?

1. Hood her to stop the thrashing, press the wound with clean gauze for a few minutes, and transport while maintaining pressure
2. Pull out all the surrounding feathers to see the wound better and pack styptic thickly over the whole wound
3. Tie a cord tightly around the base of the wing to cut off blood flow, then head to the hospital
4. Keep pouring saline over the wound to wash away the blood while transporting

AnswerA. Hood her to stop the thrashing, press the wound with clean gauze for a few minutes, and transport while maintaining pressure

ExplanationBirds are small and even modest blood loss leads to shock, so prompt pressure to stop bleeding is critical. First cover the eyes with a hood to stop the thrashing, press the wound firmly with clean gauze for a few minutes, and if it does not stop, transport while maintaining pressure. Pulling feathers causes fresh bleeding from the follicles, and while styptic works for talon and beak bleeding, packing it thickly into a skin laceration damages tissue and hinders treatment. A tight cord cuts off blood flow, kills the tissue and can cost the bird the wing. Continuously pouring saline prevents clotting and the bleeding will not stop.

IssuesThe bird was flown where there was a fence, and the priorities of first aid after a collision (darken to stop thrashing, apply pressure) had not been worked out. The proper use of styptic was misunderstood.

ImprovementChoose flying sites with no fences, barbed wire or power lines. Fix the bleeding procedure as darken, press, transport while pressing, and remember styptic is for talon and beak bleeding. Always carry a first-aid kit and transport box, and if blood loss is heavy, call the hospital while applying pressure.

A 3-year-old male Harris's hawk touched a power line in free flight, fell to the ground and is lying on his side. Running up, the owner finds him motionless with wings half open, eyes open but not blinking. There is no bleeding around him. The owner must decide whether the bird is alive, how to check, and what to do.

Which is the most appropriate assessment and initial response?

1. Press hard on the chest to check for a response, and if he does not move, start cardiac massage
2. Pour water on him to wake him, and if there is no response, conclude he is dead
3. Shake him and call to him, and if there is no response, put the meat from the lure in his mouth
4. Watch the chest for breathing, feel for a heartbeat with a fingertip beside the keel, and if he is alive keep him warm in a dark box and transport right now

AnswerD. Watch the chest for breathing, feel for a heartbeat with a fingertip beside the keel, and if he is alive keep him warm in a dark box and transport right now

ExplanationTo assess a collapsed bird, watch the chest rise and fall and the beak open and close for breathing, place a fingertip beside the keel to feel for a rapid heartbeat, and cover the head and check the pupils and response to stimuli for consciousness. If there is breathing or a heartbeat, secure the airway, keep the bird warm in a dark box, do not jolt it, and see a vet right now. Chest compressions damage the keel and internal organs in birds, so do not perform cardiac massage. Pouring water lowers body temperature and deepens shock, and declaring death just because the bird does not blink is a mistake. Shaking worsens head and spinal injuries, and feeding a bird with reduced consciousness causes choking.

IssuesFree flight was carried out where there were power lines, and the owner did not know how to check for signs of life after a collision or that cardiac massage must not be performed on birds. There was no organized emergency procedure.

ImprovementChoose open flying sites with no power lines. Memorize the assessment order for a collapsed bird as breathing, heartbeat, consciousness, and make sure the family knows not to perform chest compressions on a bird. Carry a transport box, hood and warming supplies, and call a hospital that treats raptors before setting off.