BajaNomad - Injured Osprey

Injured Osprey

Floatflyer - 11-8-2011 at 06:45 AM

Yesterday evening we found an osprey on the beach that coulldn't fly. We caught it and put in a box. It seems to be ok except it probably has a broken wing.

Any suggestions? We are located south of La Ribera.

Osprey - 11-8-2011 at 06:59 AM

I found one floating, about to drown from being pulled under by a fish that was just too big to handle. My Mexican mate helped me get it to safety and then he spent a lot of time gently removing the tissue on the end of the bird's tongue. He had raised birds and fowl and when they are traumatized that tissue dies, they won't eat and that's the end. This young bird survived and when I released it, it was able to fly and looked robust. Maybe Emanuel, the vet in Las Cuevas can give real advice >> 044 624 129 5640

mcfez - 11-8-2011 at 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Floatflyer
Yesterday evening we found an osprey on the beach that coulldn't fly. We caught it and put in a box. It seems to be ok except it probably has a broken wing.

Any suggestions? We are located south of La Ribera.

Is the wing dragging? Then it is broken.

I have injured chickens at time...I confine them to an off area, feed them a high protein diet ....and warm shelter. Most will live......get pass their injuring issue, even the one with a broken wing does well now. In the wild....a broken wing is a death warrant.

Oso - 11-8-2011 at 12:35 PM

Cruising the beach at Oceano years ago, I came across a pelican with a broken wing being harassed by some dogs. I caught him and took him to the vet. He taped the wings to the body and said the broken wing would hopefully knit in about 4 weeks. I took him home and put him in the garage. There was a small fish market in Grover. When I explained what was happening they agreed to give me heads skins and other scraps from the fish. The pelican lived (I named him Pedro). Four weeks later I got some friends together with a pony keg and took Pedro to Port San Luis where there is some shelter from the wind. I cut the tape and lifted him. He stretched his wings and flew a short distance to the water next to the pier, then swam off toward the point. Then we made a party out of the occasion.

Floatflyer - 11-8-2011 at 02:35 PM

Well, we have made a decision. We were hoping to receive some first hand info on this sad subject but Oso came closest with his pelican experience. We too the osprey to our nearest vet, located in Las Cuevas, between Los Barriles and San Jose del Cabo. They took it and did an exam and said they thought they could pin it's wing and in a couple of weeks it might be ok.

We asked how much and decided to take the risk. For $1,000 pesos we will either be paying for a burial, a period of nursemaiding, or a delayed burial, OR, if the stars and planets align themselves, a joyous release!! Worst that happens is the osprey gets euthanized, and the best is that he gets to go fishing some more. Bottom line is the vet will get some much needed business. Time will tell. FF

Udo - 11-8-2011 at 02:41 PM

I did that with a mother duck who was walking down the center divider on the 405 freeway with 13 ducklings trailing. She was trying to make it to a nearby pond. When I stopped to pick them up, some idiot honked his horn and mom was grazed by a passing car. I held on to the mom while the CHP took the ducklings to the freeway exit. Then he lectured me about how STUPID a thing that I did.
When I asked him what HE would have done, he just turned around.
The mom was picked up by, animal control at the next exit.
To my knowledge, the mom came out OK after a wing taping.

mcfez - 11-8-2011 at 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Udo
I did that with a mother duck who was walking down the center divider on the 405 freeway with 13 ducklings trailing. She was trying to make it to a nearby pond. When I stopped to pick them up, some idiot honked his horn and mom was grazed by a passing car. I held on to the mom while the CHP took the ducklings to the freeway exit. Then he lectured me about how STUPID a thing that I did.
When I asked him what HE would have done, he just turned around.
The mom was picked up by, animal control at the next exit.
To my knowledge, the mom came out OK after a wing taping.

Good man....double five stars 4 u

goldhuntress - 11-8-2011 at 05:21 PM

Very good of you to step up to the plate and help this guy out! I hope it's a success! I love birds and seeing the Osprey in Baja is always a treat. Please keep this thread up to date on the progress.

Mulegena - 11-8-2011 at 06:38 PM

Only just now read this thread.

Here's just a bit of information based on first-hand experience and advice from Dra. Lorraine Sellers, founder of PAW veterinary clinic in Mulege: Your osprey must eat several times a day. It eats only small fresh fish as it is a sea-eagle. Its not a scavenger.

Suerte to you, the bird-- all of you.

Please keep us updated.

sanquintinsince73 - 11-8-2011 at 06:41 PM

Quote:

Any photo's of the little guy??

Floatflyer - 11-8-2011 at 07:46 PM

Here is a picture of him/her in the ice chest. Again, I hope the picture comes thru. We did not hear any report from the vet this afternoon so we anticipate some word tomorrow.

IF the buddy makes it, we are a bit conflicted on whether or not to allow enough room to move the wings or to restrict the movement of the wing. Still no clear cut answer. Thanks for the suggestions and good stories. FF

[img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-0W6Lfzw_Luc/TrnluIF-YxI/AAAAAAAAJ9s/VKPmEhZJ2II/s800/DSCN1527.JPG?gl=US[/img]

Floatflyer - 11-8-2011 at 07:49 PM

Didn't work, maybe this time, grrrrrrr.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-0W6Lfzw_Luc/TrnluIF-YxI/A...

redhilltown - 11-9-2011 at 01:05 AM

It worked! Great pic and kudos to you for trying to save such a noble bird. Have spent many hours camping alone on the Cortez watching and admiring them.

Best of luck.

Skipjack Joe - 11-9-2011 at 05:15 AM

That is one handsome bird. I hope he makes it.

Floatflyer - 11-10-2011 at 03:00 PM

Yesterday afternoon we picked up Migo, the $1,000 peso osprey from the vet. I had built a 2'x2'x3' cage to transport him, or her, vet can't tell, and to live in for the first part of the rehab. Surgery occured about 1pm on Tues and he was still a bit sleepy. The surgery consisted of cleaning the break and putting 2 small pins, about 2 in long and maybe 1/16" in diameter perpindicular to the bone, bend the ends towards each other forming a rectangular sort of box. They then mixed some acrylic like powder into a "paste" and formed a splint around the pins and the bone. This will immobilize the break and hopefully in about 2 weeks if all goes well, they will remove the spline and pins.

I had e-mailed a raptor rehab center back east for some advice and they were somewhat encouraging. Said the birds heal much faster than mammals, I sure hope so. It has now been almost 3 full days since we picked him off the beach and to our knowledge, has eaten nothing. This morning we caught a small pompano looking fish and put it in the cage still flopping around. The osprey showed no interest but is very alert all day.

Here are a couple of pictures, I hope. If they come thru ok, you can thank WillyAirstream for his help. To be continued.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-6Mh663r7RKQ/TrwNaHh8SQI/A...
[img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-6Mh663r7RKQ/TrwNaHh8SQI/AAAAAAAAJ94/T3jsYcDAVrs/s144/DSCN1531.JPG?gl=US[/img]

capt. mike - 11-10-2011 at 03:56 PM

very nicely done !!

goldhuntress - 11-10-2011 at 04:10 PM

That's good news. I so hope it works out. Thanks for the update and good luck. Here's a little paragraph from Wikipedia about the difference in the sexes. Maybe it can help you figure it out.

The sexes appear fairly similar, but the adult male can be distinguished from the female by its slimmer body and narrower wings. The breast band of the male is also weaker than that of the female, or is non-existent, and the underwing coverts of the male are more uniformly pale. It is straightforward to determine the sex in a breeding pair, but harder with individual birds.

The juvenile Osprey may be identified by buff fringes to the plumage of the upperparts, a buff tone to the underparts, and streaked feathers on the head. During spring, barring on the underwings and flight feathers is a better indicator of a young bird, due to wear on the upperparts.

vacaenbaja - 11-10-2011 at 05:31 PM

Oreo the Osprey
Posted on March 18, 2011 by Administrator

On April 27, 2010 we admitted an Osprey. These state-endangered birds feed almost exclusively on fish, by plunging into the water much as an eagle does.

This bird was found on the ground in a yard in Olney, Illinois, and a little girl in the neighborhood named it “Oreo”. It had no broken bones, but had severe bruising on its side, probably the result of some type of collision.
For rehabilitators, Osprey are challenging, to say the least, because of their unwillingness to eat in captivity. I tried the obvious – live
fish. Nothing. Deciding after a couple days that I wasn’t going to let the bird starve itself to death, I began force feeding it chopped up
pieces of fish. Surprisingly it was tolerant – it even seemed to look forward to it. I tried live fish again and you guessed it, it went after
them! This was huge because it was the first time I had been able to get an Osprey to eat on its own.
On June 20, Oreo was released at East Fork Lake in Olney, not far from where it was found. This was the seventh Osprey ever admitted to TreeHouse, but the first to be released.
I found the above on the web.
Apparently it is very hard to get these birds to eat in captivity. Because of their talons and sharp beaks it
can also be very dangerous.
I have fed baby parrots with a syringe full of baby food
like liquid paste. It is kinds of tricky as you have to make sure that the food gets into the craw and not the lungs.
Much easier with baby birds that are still weaning, although
the adult birds will readily take to the syringe feedings as a treat. Be carefull and Good Luck.

Skipjack Joe - 11-10-2011 at 07:22 PM

Have you tried the number osprey posted to get the bird feeding? Before worrying about the broken wing you need to get it to start eating.

Floatflyer - 11-10-2011 at 07:29 PM

Emanuel, the vet Osprey referred to is the doctor that did the surgery. I have followed his advice, limited as it was.

Please keep all suggestions coming. Need all the help we can get. FF

Floatflyer - 11-11-2011 at 07:15 PM

This morning my wife, again, caught a small fish, this time what I think is a ladyfish. We brought it quickly to Migo and removed the other fish and the cleaned carcass of the cabrilla and placed the new fish in the cage. Migo rather quickly grabbed on to it and in a rather short period of time, ate first the eyes, then gills, and when we checked back an hour or two later, had eaten the entire head!!

We were thrilled. I talked to a raptor rehab expert in Wisconsin and she recommended that we construct another enclosure, larger and no wire. Said wire is bad because the bird's wings can hit the wire and they lose feathers which is bad. So, more $$$ and more work, but we are excited.

woody with a view - 11-11-2011 at 07:29 PM

good job, Bud!

i love those birds. they are always one of the centers of our attention every time we go to baja. all our best to Migo!

rsz_100_8546.jpg - 25kB

Pelican Boil This Morning

Gypsy Jan - 11-11-2011 at 07:54 PM

Many birds and dolphins were chasing fish in our bay this morning.

One pelican stayed still in the water and drifted north with the prevailing current.

We watched him for a very long time. He was alone and never left the water.

goldhuntress - 11-11-2011 at 09:40 PM

What great news! And such big relief. Keep up the good work and thanks for the update.

redhilltown - 11-12-2011 at 12:31 AM

Dear heavens! If he'll eat a Ladyfish he'll eat ANYTHING!!!!!!!

Fantastic. Go Mijo Go!

Floatflyer - 11-14-2011 at 08:01 AM

Here is the latest update on Migo. We decided we had to build a larger enclosure and one not made with wire. Were told that wire is very hard on the feathers and if damaged further he might not be able to fly till he molts, once per year, sigh. Went in to town and bought some palapa netting and built him a cage about 4 ft high, 5 ft wide, and 9 ft long. We put down carboard on the floor to soften things for his claws and put in a perch that I screwed to a couple of 2x6s for a solid base, and about 4" off of the floor.

He moved easily into the new "nest" and appears to be doing fine. We continue to catch a fish in the morning and he holds it down and eats the head almost instantly. After that he appears to lose interest the rest of the day for feeding. Don't know if we should try for another flopping fish or what? Anyway, we are still hopeful that he will improve. In about a week we are supposed to take him back to the vet to have him checked and possibly remove his splint. We shall see.

BajaBlanca - 11-14-2011 at 09:00 AM

what an inspiring story !!! I think you get some cameras and post videos for the world to see !!! thanks for caring so much ....

Oh, so happy for Migo!

Mulegena - 11-14-2011 at 09:12 AM

So relieved he/she's eating!!
Cudos to you for the flopping fish, the flopping around may be the key to attraction and getting those stomach juices roiling. Good thinkin'!

Could you let Migo out of the habitat for some walk-about time with you under your direct care and supervision, dogs secured inside the house? A bit of daily exercise would be good for his rehab.

DianaT - 11-14-2011 at 09:18 AM

What a wonderful story and I hope he heals completely very soon.

shari - 11-14-2011 at 09:41 AM

We rescued a Royal Tern and she lived with us in the house for a week...they also eat live fish but after a couple days of not eating, she would eat strips of fresh fish...I fed her first with long chopsticks holding the fish up above her head so she reached for it and she just gulped them down. I suggest seeing if you can get someone to catch some smaller fish like sardinas or bait fish...but it is a good sign she ate the eyes and head...that's how they roll!

Although it was a messy deal, "Queeny" liked the house and grew fond of us and would waddle over to my desk and open and close her beak to ask for food...she liked moving around...but when she started to try to fly around the house, things got a bit silly and messy so I brought her outside and she just lifted off and flew away...it was a joyous moment and a bit sad as we had grown fond of her....good luck with your bird...have you named him/her yet?

Floatflyer - 11-17-2011 at 02:18 PM

Yesterday was the best day for Migo. He got his enclosure cleaned, his wound cleaned, another fresh fish that he ate the most of, I held him and patted him during the cleaning and he spent the most time on his perch.

This morning we found him standing in a corner, not real alert. I rubbed him thru the netting but he didn't move much. We again caught him a nice fish but he showed no interest. We took a walk and when we returned he had passed away. We took him back to the beach and buried him with tears in our eyes. We were so hopeful.

Both my wife and I asked ourselves if it is worth it. We agreed, yes. To have given him some chance instead of no chance, we would do it again. The worst part was getting so attached to him and then losing him so suddenly. Another of those lessons in life. Bye buddy.

goldhuntress - 11-17-2011 at 03:21 PM

My heart is broken, for Migo and you both. It always amazes me that birds can survive just fine in many extreme habitates but they can also be so fragile. I lost one of my parrots a while back. She seemed just fine when I put her to bed but the next morning she was on the bottom of her cage, wings spread open for balance, too sick to perch. I rushed her straight to the vet but she died on the way. Things can go south quickly with birds. Sorry things didn't work out, you did your best.

DianaT - 11-17-2011 at 03:27 PM

That is just so sad and yes, you gave him another chance at life and deserve to feel good about that.

And the idea that you did so much and feel such a sense of loss says a lot about who you two are as people.

Quote:

Originally posted by Floatflyer
Yesterday was the best day for Migo. He got his enclosure cleaned, his wound cleaned, another fresh fish that he ate the most of, I held him and patted him during the cleaning and he spent the most time on his perch.

This morning we found him standing in a corner, not real alert. I rubbed him thru the netting but he didn't move much. We again caught him a nice fish but he showed no interest. We took a walk and when we returned he had passed away. We took him back to the beach and buried him with tears in our eyes. We were so hopeful.

Both my wife and I asked ourselves if it is worth it. We agreed, yes. To have given him some chance instead of no chance, we would do it again. The worst part was getting so attached to him and then losing him so suddenly. Another of those lessons in life. Bye buddy.

R.I.P Migo

BigOly - 11-17-2011 at 03:29 PM

Soar high and free, dear Migo, for you carry the hearts of these earth-bound souls with you.

Mulegena - 11-17-2011 at 08:17 PM

"If the Sky Wills So"

working titled excerpt from "All My Relations, The Years in Baja, Mexico"
by Mulegena, 18 Octubre, 2010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your
one wild and precious life?“
~ American poet Mary Oliver
From "The summer day"; New and Selected Poems 1992

We kept an Osprey for a few days. Poor bird died, but that was his fate, as they say. Something was wrong with the bird; he held his right wing low, wouldn't eat-- and feeding an osprey is a bit of a deal, especially if he doesn't want.

So, this poor bird came to stay with me. Put him in the back of the shop. Gave him the dog carrier to stay in, left the door open for him to come out if he wants. He seems fine except his droopy wing and no appetite. His wing's not broken, not dislocated. He just won't pick it up. I run down to where the pangas come in, looking for fish-- a single fresh recently-fileted fish.

That's a mighty big beak there, Osprey. Looks like you could take my finger off in a snap. Don't think you will, though. You had your chance when you let me check you out for injuries, examine your wing carefully pulling, extending pushing it around you didn't flinch, didn't try too much to get away.

In fact, you were quite gentle when I approached you down on the river when the neighbor called me to come see about you. You let me slowly walk up to you, bending down to be closer to you in size, talk gentle to you, you looked at me, you regarded me. You listened. You didn't try to get away then, didn't make me put the blanket over you that I had brought. To my amazement you just let me pick you up, put you in the waiting carrier.

Such a regal bird you are, Osprey. You hold your head high, don't show any fear of me or the dogs or the cats that look in at you from the front of the shop. You just take us all in, take the turn-around of circumstances in your life in stride.

That beak. You could have nabbed me many times over if you'd wanted. You haven't. Sometimes you look at me, regard me with consideration, eyes penetrating deep into me. The feathers on the crown of your head stand up as a crest. So elegant, You. I feel like a commoner in front of the king in his palace. Even with your wing, even in the dark storage room in the back of the shop, you're one amazing bird to behold.

With your dignity unruffled you quietly hopped back to your dog carrier, your new home in the back of the shop, away from the palm trees and river and swimming fish waiting for your stealth blow of quick death from above, in these circumstances which certainly would seem incomprehensible to a lesser being than yourself.

I wonder and wish I could ask, “Are you aware of your injuries? Do you consider your present circumstances? Are you confused? Do you miss your past life, a life that a free bird, a bird of prey such as yourself, claims as his birthright? Do you angst over the prospects of your future?”

“Are you anything like me, Bird? Would you have stopped and gathered me up if I were injured, carried me to your nest overlooking the river? Would you have fed me alongside your young, seen to my injuries? Would you have thought of me at all if you had seen me injured on the river’s edge or would you have just gone on fishing, making your way in the world of nature as the zopolotes, the clean-up crew of birds, circled then dined on my dying body?”

“Are you wiser than I, Bird?”

You died today, Bird. You ate once again. You were hopping around, still in the back of the shop, still in circumstances so far removed from the natural order of your previous life and the life of all your ancestors, and so you did die. They say that the first sign of illness in a bird is death. You hide it so well, the experts say, for to display weakness in the wild is to bring danger to yourself and your young.

Is this the answer to the riddle of your regal, haughty nature? Is this the way you and your ancestors before you protect yourselves? You claimed dominion over the sky and rivers and fishes? You became king and this your kingdom?

And I, I in my infinite human failings, desires and designs tried to re-order your circumstances, tried to change the course of the river that is your life and livelihood. Ah, but as your life flowed and ebbed as the river you lived on, so my life courses forward, and for awhile on earth we came together, you and I, Osprey, an unlikely pair. You, guided by ancestral wisdom born of water and wind. I, your sister bound forever by earth and thought.

Skipjack Joe - 11-17-2011 at 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Floatflyer
Yesterday was the best day for Migo. He got his enclosure cleaned, his wound cleaned ....

This sounds as though there had been an infection?

luckyman - 11-17-2011 at 11:13 PM

just dropped in on your post tonight ff...good on you and w for your efforts with the osprey, we all wish it would have worked out better for the little bugger. the best thing is that you guys gave him a shot at rehabilitation, which is better than nothing at all.
good job.

redhilltown - 11-18-2011 at 12:34 AM

Thank you for the posts and thank you for the efforts. Hold your heads high as you went far beyond the call of duty.

Cypress - 11-18-2011 at 04:17 AM

Floatflyer, Hope your bird makes a full recovery. Thank for the pictures. Good luck.