Bird · Owls, hawks & falcons

Owls and birds of prey: safe handling and first aid

The first 60 seconds

Leave it if
Fluffy young tawny owls clambering about in branches (“branchers”). They leave the nest before they can fly and their parents still feed them.
Help now if
An adult on the ground that cannot fly away when approached.

Do this

  1. Protect yourself
  2. Cover the bird
  3. Secure the feet

Never: hold a raptor bare-handed. Its grip goes through gloves, tendons and bone.

Call a rescue near me

Owls, kestrels, buzzards and sparrowhawks are often found grounded after a road collision or a window strike. They need help fast — but handling them wrongly can hurt you and kill them.

Rescues across the UK take owls & birds of prey

Handle?
Only with thick gloves
Busiest months
May – Aug
Main danger to you
Talons
Common cause
Road collisions
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The one thing to remember

Talons, not the beak, are the danger — and handling stress kills raptors.

Step one

Does it need help?

Look before you touch. Intervening when an animal is fine is one of the most common mistakes — and it can cost the animal its life.

Leave it be if…

  • Fluffy young tawny owls clambering about in branches (“branchers”). They leave the nest before they can fly and their parents still feed them.
  • A bird of prey eating on the ground. It may be reluctant to leave its meal — give it space.

Step in if…

  • An adult on the ground that cannot fly away when approached.
  • Hit by a vehicle, stunned after a window strike, or caught in netting, wire or fishing line.
  • A young owl on a road, path or open ground with no cover nearby.

Step two

First aid, step by step

What to do in the first ten minutes, in order. If anything here feels unsafe, stop, step back and phone a rescue for advice instead.

  1. 01

    Protect yourself

    Thick leather gardening or welding gloves, and eye protection if you have it.

  2. 02

    Cover the bird

    Drop a heavy towel, coat or blanket over the whole bird. Covering its eyes calms it more than anything else you can do.

  3. 03

    Secure the feet

    Through the cloth, take hold of both legs above the feet, and hold the wings against the body.

  4. 04

    Contain it

    Move it into a darkened, ventilated pet carrier or sturdy cardboard box with a towel on the floor for grip.

  5. 05

    Leave it alone

    Put it somewhere quiet and do not keep checking. Then ring a rescue.

Important

What never to do

  • Never hold a raptor bare-handed. Its grip goes through gloves, tendons and bone.
  • Do not try to feed it — they are often too stressed to eat and the wrong food causes problems.
  • Do not release it yourself “to see if it can fly”. A raptor that cannot hunt starves.

Food and water

Should I give it food or water?

Do not feed. Birds of prey can go a day or two without food. A rescue will decide what and when.

Seasonal guide

Through the year

When rescues see the most owls & birds of prey — and what is driving it.

Busiest in May, June and July.

  1. January: Some
  2. February: Some
  3. March: Some
  4. April: Busy
  5. May: Peak
  6. June: Peak
  7. July: Peak
  8. August: Busy
  9. September: Busy
  10. October: Some
  11. November: Some
  12. December: Some
  • Apr – JunTawny owl branchers leaving nests.
  • SummerInexperienced juveniles learning to hunt — and hit by cars.
  • WinterBarn owls hunting roadside verges in hard weather.

Background

Bird facts

Silent flight

Owl feathers have soft, comb-like edges that muffle sound — which is why barn owls hunt along roadside verges without traffic hearing them, and vice versa.

Capture myopathy

Raptors can die of stress hours or days after handling, even when they seemed fine. That is why minimal handling matters so much.

Escaped falconry birds

A bird with leather straps (jesses) or a ring on its legs is probably someone’s. Rescues and falconry groups can trace owners.

Prevention

Help them where you live

  • Keep roadside verges near you long — barn owls hunt there, so mowed verges push them onto the tarmac.
  • Barn owl and kestrel nest boxes on farmland make a real difference.
  • Never use rodent poison outdoors. Secondary poisoning kills owls and kites.

The law. All birds of prey are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; some (like barn owls and red kites) have extra Schedule 1 protection at the nest. Getting an injured one to care is legal.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Is a baby owl on the ground abandoned?
Usually not. Tawny owlets are excellent climbers and will scramble back up a tree. If it is in danger, you can place it on a low branch using gloves — the parents will continue to feed it.
It seems fine now — can I let it go?
Please get it checked. Raptors often have hidden fractures or head injuries after collisions, and need to be able to hunt at full strength to survive.

Ready to call?

Find a bird of prey rescue near you

Ranked by who has confirmed space, then distance. Free, no sign-up.

General first-aid guidance compiled from UK rescue organisations, not veterinary advice. Where this and a vet disagree, the vet is right.

Keep reading

All guides
Bird · Songbirds & pigeons Garden birds A fully feathered youngster hopping on the ground is almost certainly fine — its parents are nearby. Read the guide about garden birds Essential guide · Start here Wildlife first aid Contain, warm, dark, quiet — and nothing to eat or drink until a rescue says so. Read the guide about wildlife first aid Essential guide · Baby animals Is it really orphaned? Most baby animals found alone are not orphans. Watch from a distance before you touch anything. Read the guide about is it really orphaned?