Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
Get to know black crows, see how tawny owls pretend to be trees, and make a bird out of feathers and wood chips – all this can be done at the bird rehabilitation and adaptation center Moscow Zoo, which opened at the end of May in Sokolniki ParkIts employees nurse wounded birds of prey listed in the Red Book back to health and release them into the wild, while telling guests about the bird world.
mos.ru correspondents visited the center and found out what birds are found in Moscow and the Moscow region, how a background species differs from a synanthropic one, whether an injured individual can return to the wild, and why it is important to teach city residents from childhood to take care of the environment.
First aid for predators
The Moscow Zoo Bird Recovery and Adaptation Center is located in 1st Luchevoy Prosek. This is a fenced area among trees, above which rises a fly-in area — a pavilion under a latticed, as if woven, dome with an area of about 700 square meters. Adjacent to it is an observation deck with a lawn and greenery. From here, the entire territory of the center is clearly visible, in particular the veterinary clinic and rounded enclosures covered with panels (lamellas). Birds are comfortable in such an environment.
“There is enough space for 100 birds here, but we do not plan to keep that many. Birds need a free life, they should fly, hunt, and not sit in a cage. Therefore, our task is to help our charges get on the wing and release them as quickly as possible. We save birds of prey, as well as storks, herons, cranes and other birds listed in the Red Book and return them to the wild,” says the head of the center, Alexander Tomashevsky.
According to him, swifts, pigeons and grey crows can be nursed back to health by yourself or by seeking help from the nearest veterinary clinic.
“Such bird species are called background: their population is very large, and, as sad as it may sound, the death of individual birds is part of natural selection. Therefore, we cannot take them into care. The center’s specialists work with predatory species: there are initially fewer of them in the natural food chain, and in the conditions of anthropogenic landscapes, their numbers decrease,” our interlocutor explains.
If the found bird is classified as a predator or is included in the Red Book, leave a preliminary application by phone: 112 or the number of the single information service of the Moscow City Hall: 7 495 777-77-77. After that, the bird can be brought to the center, where veterinarians will decide on the possibility of saving it.
Alexander Tomashevsky is a veterinarian who understands bird diseases. “Fresh injuries, no older than 10 days, are usually operable and curable, even a broken wing. Birds do not have subcutaneous tissue like humans, and in the case of a fracture, the bone pierces the muscles and comes out. If you do not provide assistance in time, this section of the bone dies. When the injury is recent, we check whether the ligaments and tendons are damaged (they cannot be restored), and if not, we install a special structure – an external fixation device,” says the head of the center.
The fracture heals within 30 days. From the first days after the operation, the bird gradually begins to develop the injured limb. A month later, when the ability to fly freely is fully restored, it is released into the wild. “A large flight cage is not required. It is enough for the bird to try out the wing in the aviary,” explains Alexander Tomashevsky.
The veterinary clinic is located on the territory of the adaptation center, its examination room has a glass wall so that visitors can watch how doctors examine patients. This is part of the educational work.
In the capital Department of Nature Management and Environmental Protection remind that in the event of a situation involving wild animals that requires urgent intervention, you must call: 7 495 777-77-77. The experts also emphasize that the removal of animals from their natural environment without the appropriate permits violates environmental legislation.
Arkasha, Karkusha and Karkasha
There are currently 37 birds living in the center. Unfortunately, they cannot be released into the wild: some have a broken wing or leg that has not healed properly, and some were born in captivity and are unable to get food on their own.
The birds were housed in oval outdoor enclosures, each species having its own “nest” measuring three to six square meters. Inside, there is a shelf covered with green flooring the color of the grass, dividing the space into two floors.
Those who can fly use both tiers, while those who cannot stay on the lower tier. There are signs on the enclosures with information about the birds for those who come on excursions. They are held every hour from 10:00 to 18:00 (the last session is at 17:00).
“These birds now act as storytellers: by watching them, visitors learn what species live in our region, become familiar with their biological characteristics and understand how important it is to protect nature. After all, it is mostly people who hurt animals. The mission of our center is, first of all, educational,” emphasizes Alexander Tomashevsky.
One of the enclosures is home to tawny owls and long-eared owls. During the day, they sit on a perch and, frozen, pretend to be tree bark. Indeed, you won’t notice them from afar, you’ll mistake them for protrusions on the trunk. “These birds hide all day. This is because they are hunted by crows, who find tawny owls by their bright eyes,” explains the head of the center.
Four kestrels have settled in another house. These colorful birds are synanthropic, meaning they live in cities, among people, making nests in ventilation holes. The kestrel catches mice, hovering for a long time and fluttering its wings over the fields. Often the birds lie in wait for prey by the road, which is why they become victims of motorists.
Three more enclosures are occupied by buzzards: rough-legged, common and long-legged. “They can be used to study the geography of our country. The smallest species of buzzards live in the south, their small size allows them to cool off easily in the heat. And the large ones, on the contrary, are natives of the north, where they have to accumulate fat in case of cold and hunger,” notes Alexander Tomashevsky.
We stop at the house of an eagle named Arkasha. He is huge. He was born and raised in captivity, so he is not afraid of people and looks with interest at bright accessories, such as a yellow umbrella. “Soon, a tall, long pavilion, originally intended for crows, will be built for him and several other eagles: we will hang a swing and various shelves there,” explains the mos.ru source.
While we are walking around the center, the staff are feeding two black ravens – Karkusha and Karkasha. They are brother and sister, about a year old. The crows were picked up about a month ago in the park. The birds have a high level of intelligence, equal to that of a dog. They are very trainable. Therefore, Alexander Tomashevsky and his colleagues decided to keep Karkusha and Karkasha for a future show that visitors will soon be able to see.
“We are currently teaching them not to be afraid of people. We put food on a glove so that the birds sit on the hand, and we slowly touch them. When the birds get used to human attention, we will begin training them in the nesting area: we will teach them to circle and return to the hand. While the crow chicks are small, although they look like adults, even their beaks are pink inside: a bright color in nature allows parents to find their children and bring them food. Later, the beaks will turn black,” says Angelina Rodionova, a methodologist at the Moscow Zoo’s bird rehabilitation and adaptation center.
Birds are easy to train. For example, they can get an object from the bottom of a bottle using a stick held in their paws.
Grains of knowledge
The show will take place in the exhibition area, where an amphitheater for spectators will soon be built.
“This show will be educational, not entertaining. First, we plan to conduct a tour, tell visitors about bird species, what harm humans can do to them, why all birds are important in nature, and then we will show what they can do. For example, goshawks live in forests and know no obstacles. We will demonstrate this skill: the bird will fly through a narrow pipe, folding its wings. And the black kite always hovers over its prey and never lands – the audience will see this too. We will also talk about falconry, including nature conservation, based on humane and competent use of nature,” says Alexander Tomashevsky.
Another part of the center’s educational work is master classes, which are held on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in a separate pavilion. Participation in them is included in the price of the excursion ticket, which can be purchased at the box office at the entrance. Guests are offered to make a bird from genuine leather, feathers, pieces of wood, chips and other ecological materials. Samples of such products from previous classes are displayed on the shelves.
“Not all people, especially children, understand how wild nature works, what laws and rules there are. Our task is to sow at least a grain of knowledge so that visitors think and take a closer look at what surrounds them,” the mos.ru source sums up.
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