Birds of prey in captivity question...

[Lindsay-c]

I was watching animal:24 7 on BBC1 this morning and a man had a rescued golden eagle called Samson... When he took him outside and let him go flying a couple of buzzards and a crow bullied him a bit and it said this is why he cannot be released to the wild because other birds instinctively know he doesn't belong and will attack him so it will be impossible for him to settle anywhere.

At first I thought it meant he couldn't be released because he doesn't belong in that part of britain but then realised it must have meant all of britain since they weren't going to release him at all...

Can anyone give me a further explanation as to why other birds do this ?

and how do they know if a bird "doesn't belong" ?

[Acipiter]

I saw animal 24/7 as well Lindsay, many birds of prey will receive the same mobbing from crows, sparrowhawks often see off buzzards as well, its because they see them as a threat. On the question of releasing him it would be difficult, because its now imprinted on its owner. You have answered your own question, in that other birds instinctively know a strange bird. It would very difficult to release him because of this. Some birds of prey can be released, if they have not been kept a long time, and imprinted on their owner.

[Adam Cheeseman]

What a load of tosh. Golden Eagles are Britain's second largest bird of prey and like all raptors will be mobbed by birds smaller than itself to dissuade it from hanging around their area. This is a natural defence mechanism. If it is a wild bird that was injured and has recovered enough to be released then it should be whence it was found.

I remember seeing the juvenile White-tailed Eagle in Hampshire 3 years ago and it was mobbed by the local Buzzards and Peregrine. If you see your local Sparrowhawk flying out in the open chances are it will be being mobbed by smaller birds.

If he does intend to keep it in captivity then he will need to have the proper licences to do so.

Cheers,

Adam

[Lindsay-c]

Oh I see I understand that Acipiter, thanks

But in terms of the birds instictively know he's a strange bird - I don't fully understand how they know it is strange. If it means that they will attack if they don't recognise a bird because it doesn't belong to that part of the country I could understand that but then it would be okay to release it to a part where it does come from? right? (but as you said this one couldn't be because he has imprinted on his owner)
I'd find it difficult to get my head around if they think an individual bird is strange, as in what about the bird would tell the other birds that it was...

As you can see I don't know lots about bird's social behaviours

[Lindsay-c]

Originally Posted by Adam Cheeseman

What a load of tosh. Golden Eagles are Britain's second largest bird of prey and like all raptors will be mobbed by birds smaller than itself to dissuade it from hanging around their area. This is a natural defence mechanism. If it is a wild bird that was injured and has recovered enough to be released then it should be whence it was found.

I remember seeing the juvenile White-tailed Eagle in Hampshire 3 years ago and it was mobbed by the local Buzzards and Peregrine. If you see your local Sparrowhawk flying out in the open chances are it will be being mobbed by smaller birds.

If he does intend to keep it in captivity then he will need to have the proper licences to do so.

Cheers,

Adam

right so most birds of prey will be mobbed by other birds?

now I'm lost If this is the case why would they not release a bird for this reason if it is normal...

[Acipiter]

what part was tosh then Adam.

[Adam Cheeseman]

Originally Posted by Lindsay-c

Oh I see I understand that, yeah

In terms of the birds instictively know he's a strange bird - I don't fully understand how they know it is strange. If it means that they will attack if they don't recognise a bird because it doesn't belong to that part of the country I could understand that but then it would be okay to release it to a part where it does come from? right? (but as you said this one couldn't be because he has imprinted on his owner)
I'd find it difficult to get my head around if they think an individual bird is strange, as in what about the bird would tell the other birds that it was...
As you can see I don't know lots about bird's social behaviours

The birds aren't attacking it because it is a 'strange' bird, but because it is a bird of prey that might fancy them for its lunch so they are trying to shoo it off. They would do this to any raptor in their area.
I don't think a bird born in the wild (how old was it) would imprint in the way a captive born bird would be and its natural instincts would already be in place so it should therefore be capable of being released.
As I said previously it should be released close to where it was originally found as it will know the area and where to find food etc.

Cheers,

Adam

[Blizzard]

I just caught a bit of this programme so I might have got it wrong but I think the Golden Eagle had been rescued from captivity where it was being very badly looked after. I think they said that it had been kept in a wardrobe .

There is no doubt that where it is currently being kept they will have all the necessary licences.

If it had been rescued from the wild then no doubt all efforts would have been made to release it but being (I presume) a captive bred bird that wouldn't be an option.

[willing to learn]

Birds of prey wild or captive get mobbed part of life, I think the eagle was hand reared from the day it hatched and captive bred, as it was stolen from a zoo. So it would be a full imprint to humans, and not reconise its self as an eagle. What I found worrying I did not see any sign of transmitter's fixed to the eagle while flying free???.
Regards
Colin

[Lindsay-c]

Ah I musn't have seen that part.

Only thing that got me wondering was the reason they used for him not being released (that other birds would attack him) or maybe i misunderstood *shrugs*