Donegal,
Very bad news--one fledgling
was found sick in an enclosed space on the American Museum of Natural History grounds yesterday and is
now in the care of the Horvath Rehabilitators.
This second fledgling is
displaying symptoms of rat poisoning also…it has not left the tree it
has been perched in for almost two days now and refused to eat a meal
left in plain view.
[This behavior is similar to that of previous
Pale Male mate, Ginger Lima, who eventually fell to the ground dead and
through later necropsy was found to have been killed by secondary
poisoning, i.e. from eating a poisoned rat. D.B.]
This tree
located on the west side of the Natural History Museum has been the perch (left circle) (correction sent by Jeff, tree may be nearer MET) of
what appears to be a fledgling sickened by rat poisoning. At its extreme
height and location the fledgling is presently inaccessible for capture so
that the Horvath's can try and treat it.
1453 Metadata time.
Fledgling on the left has hardly moved in almost two days now. Fledgling on
the right appears animated and still normal.
1456 Metadata time.
[AMNH is on Central Park West facing Central Park between 77th and 81st. D.B.]
Combined frame enlargement. Fledgling on the right flew away. 1459 Metadata time.
After all the wonderful things that have happened
for the 927 Red-tail Family, now comes this potential disaster which if
it is indeed rat poisoning is wholly man-made.
Jeff
P.S from D.B.-- Hawkwatchers report that Zena has been sighted watching over the ill fledgling in the tree. If a predator should appear, as might be more likely in the true wild, she would protect her fledgling from being taken as easy prey. If only she could fight this poison to the death.
Donegal Browne
Donegal Browne
3 comments:
Oh. My. GOD! Of course we all feared this. I am so sad and angry and frankly just feel deflated and despondent. I can deal with babies starving if there is not enough food, but to die at the hands of careles, in the true sense of that word they could CARE no LESS the effects of their actions using such dangerous poisons..
I think the bird in Jeff's last post is a Juvie, because there is no sign of molting (no short or missing feathers). The only way to deal with this is hit the Met and the Natural HIstory museum in the pocketbook. Let us boycott and not donate and protest any funding to any organization that does not pledge to cease the use of rodenticides on its property
Ann F.
I'm with you Ann! The pocketbook is the way to go! Email me at the name of the blog, at yahoo.
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