dragon@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Sam Conway) (03/21/90)
Many of you have suggested covering the head of the bloodfeather-prone falcon whom I mentioned in order to calm her. Yes, I know that this is standard procedure, but I would like to take this opportunity to alert bird-handlers that there is a small percentage of birds, perhaps one in fifty, who can't STAND having their heads covered and will thrash about in panic when such a thing occurs. Such is the temperament of our peregrine. Such is also the temperament of our resident bald eagle, the meanest toughest rip-roarin'est avian that every bonked about with one wing. She is quite a handful, even for an experienced eagle-wrestler, and we've found that covering her head leads to.....well, have you ever seen the cartoon with the Tasmanian devil? Something like that. She also can't be reasoned with. She is partially imprinted, and thus her favorite sport is intimidation, which she practices with great skill. -- Sam Conway * If you are not listed on the dragon@eleazar.dartmouth.edu * National Registry of Bone Marrow Chemistry Dept., Dartmouth College, NH * Donors...you should be. Vermont Raptor Center (VINS) * Contact your local Red Cross.
mm@pennies.sw.stratus.com (Mike Mahler) (03/21/90)
Thrashing's not the only problem with covering a bird's head with a towel. They can suffocate while your doing this since they require vast amounts of oxygen (compared to as rest) when they are trying to fight you off from clipping their feathers.