![]() In most, his flights were high, strong, and fast. But unexpectedly for a bird with almost no tail, GHOW 98 flew well on his first outing, to the end of the line on all ten flights - the goal of each session. ![]() GHOW 98’s reputation for ferocity had preceded him. The team approached their assignment with caution. To this end, the creance team was called in to begin sessions of flight exercise, in which the bird would be flown on a 150-foot line (the creance). He had to regain the physical condition imperative for release. In the event that the tail did eventually grow, the bird would need to be in shape. Release back to the wild would not be possible without a full tail. Unfortunately, most tail feathers were missing, “with no signs of regrowth.” Twenty days later, there was still “nothing sprouting at all.” Six weeks after intake, the bird had improved and was given approval for a move to a small outside aviary, where he could continue to recover with enough space for short flights. This bird impressed his handlers with his strength and ability to sink his talons into a gloved hand or cling tenaciously to the rim of a net used to capture him. Strong feet and speed in grasping prey are crucial for raptors in the wild but less appreciated by human caregivers on the receiving end. GHOW 98 was “super BAR,” our veterinarian noted, and had “anger management issues.” ![]() ![]() What followed were months of regular veterinary checks and procedures, wrap changes, weight checks, administration of medications, radiographs, and physical therapy - all made more challenging by the bird’s general attitude and attempts to chew off the wraps. It was replaced, this time covered with a layer of gorilla tape to thwart his efforts to remove it again. However, he was a “little too much so” and had removed his wrap overnight. The next day, the bird was BAR (bright, alert, responsive) - a good sign. Two days later, our veterinarian performed surgery to stabilize the wing and then wrapped it again. After the intake examination and radiographs, the bird’s wing was wrapped, and he was treated with subcutaneous fluids and oral medications. The bird’s initial problem - the reason he was brought to the PWC clinic - was not the tail but a luxation (dislocation) of the metacarpal-phalangeal joint with a fracture of a metacarpal bone - the part of the wing that is analagous to human fingers. A raptor needs to be an aerial athlete to survive in the wild, and flight feathers in good condition are essential.
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