Found an injured kārearea falcon & need help?

What do you do?

For both yours and the bird's sake, keep handling to a bare minimum. Injured kārearea falcons should be placed in a cardboard box or cat-box as soon as possible. Place an old towel or T-shirt in the box to secure the falcon. Keep the inside of the box dark while maintaining plenty of airflow. Keep the bird out of direct sunlight. The bird will be highly stressed and want to defend itself, especially with its talons – excessive handling can hurt both you and the bird. Letting the bird grab hold of an old towel with its feet, then wrapping the bird's wings in the towel to pick it up and put it in the box, can be an effective way of ensuring the feet are kept out of harm's way. Use both hands when picking a bird up and, if possible, get someone to help you put it safely into the box.

Once secured in a suitable box, take the injured bird to your local DOC office immediately.