If you ever find an injured bird of prey, this is what you need to do:
- Make sure that the bird really needs help
- If it is a hatchling or juvenile, leave it where it is and contact us.
- Wear protective gloves and use a blanket to catch the bird. If the bird flies away when you come close to it, it does not need help. Do not chase it.
- Place the bird rapidly in a perforated cardboard box. Avoid metal cages.
- Keep the bird in a calm dark area with moderate temperature (22 to 25 degrees Celsius). Limit its contact with humans. It is a wild animal and we are considered as a predator, a capture is very stressful for it.
- It is mandatory to report any findings of birds of prey to the wildlife agency here in Quebec. Please call the toll-free number: 1-877-346-6763 (press 9 for service in English), or, outside of office hours: S.O.S. braconnage centralesos@mrn.gouv.qc.ca \ 1-800-463-2191.
- Send us the bird as quickly as possible in order to increase its chance of survival.
You can contact the Clinique des oiseaux de proie at :
Faculté de médecine vétérinaire
Université de Montréal
Saint-Hyacinthe
514 345-8521 poste 8427 for calls from the Montreal area
or
450 773-8521 poste 8427