Wildlife carers from Secret World Wildlife Rescue were called out near Burnham-On-Sea last week after an injured Sparrowhawk was found grounded during heavy rain.
The adult female bird of prey was spotted by a concerned member of the public who noticed she was unable to take off. A rescuer attended the scene and brought her safely to the charity’s centre in East Huntspill.
Staff say that although she had endured a difficult morning, she arrived “bright-eyed and alert” — a positive early sign in raptors, who often show strong defensive behaviour when alert.
A spokesperson adds: “An initial clinical exam showed no obvious injuries, but she was underweight, which may explain why she wasn’t flying. She settled into the warmth of our isolation room, where she could dry off and rest, and plans were in place for our vet to carry out a thorough assessment the following morning to check for any underlying problems.”
Sadly, despite their best efforts, the Sparrowhawk sadly passed away during the night.
The charity adds that in cases like this, the cause is not always clear. Birds may be suffering from underlying conditions that are not immediately visible, or the stress of their ordeal may simply be too great.
“It’s one of the hardest parts of wildlife rescue — doing everything we can, even when the outcome isn’t the one we hope for.”
