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The birds in my aviaries are kept for different reasons:

Injured  or starving birds (especially in winter) are often brought to me by people. If no intensive treatment by a vet is needed, I care for them and try to get them fit for release. Whenever possible, they are released at the place they were first found. I have quite successfully "mended" broken legs enabling the birds to grip and catch living prey in the wild again. Dr. Franz Appel, a vet and close friend of mine, has been of great help during the past years. Due to his routine it has always been a lot easier for me to decide if a bird should be kept at my place, euthanized or transferred to the Veterinary University of Vienna to be treated and later be kept at the EGS Center.

Shot Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) (Click to enlarge, use the BACK-button of our browser to return!)

• Orphaned raptors are either raised by foster parents at EGS or at my place (Eurasian Kestrels [Falco tinnunculus]). If there are no foster parents available, the birds are released by the hacking method.
• Lifetime patients - severely injured or imprinted birds - are cared for intensively. Just imagine an Eagle Owl that has spent its first year in a rabbit's cage - it was even hard to recognize the species, when it arrived. Fortunately she is doing very well at the moment with bruises healing and feathers moulting. But the bird was hand-raised and Dr. Frey, who really is a specialist with Eagle Owls, is very sceptical concerning release. Nevertheless, it is the imprinted birds that fascinate me most. I have spent the last six years studying some beautiful confiscated Saker Falcons (Falco cherrug) which are more or less imprinted on man (see RESEARCH!).

"Lady" - an elderly imprinted Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug). Isn't she still a beauty? (Click to enlarge, use the BACK-button of your browser to return!)

The most "famous" of my birds was a male Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) called "Max", who had to leave from here to EGS after six years. He is sexually imprinted on man and turned out to be an absolute pest for all the neighbourhood because of his calling me continously. Remember that my aviaries are in town! People have no idea what they do to a bird when they hand-raise it!

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LIST OF BIRDS TREATED OR STILL BEING KEPT AT THE FACILITY:

Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug)

Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)

Honey-Buzzard (Pernis apivorus)

Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)

Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)

Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo)

Tawny Owl (Strix aluco)

Long-eared Owl (Asio otus)

Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium passerinum)