Avian Rescue Otago

22/02/2025

The kahu who decided to go for a late night swim has been doing well. After 25 hours of observation and supplemental oxygen he's eating and got his kahu attitude back. There appears to be nothing worse for wear so we are hoping after some flight time and food he will be ready to hit the sky's in no time! Huge thankyou for the people who pulled him from the water!

22/02/2025

To help raise some funds for the rescue we are selling of a selection of both planters and pots make of clay and glazed. All food safe and can go in the oven! price on item. Can post at buyers expense and risk

21/02/2025

We are doing a huge push to fundraiser for our new raptor enclosure! If you can spare any money at all. Every little bit helps! Any businesses that may help please do get in touch! Help us become a Gold standard raptor rehab, the first in Central Otago! Anyone who knows me will know just how passionate about this and our welfare for raptors. If any businesses that may have appropriate steel they no longer need or anyone that's has any please reach out!

LETS MAKE THIS HAPPEN

Avain bird rescue based in Alexandra Central toago

21/02/2025

Falcon and hawk enclosure build

As Avian Rescue is the only rescue in Central Otago that has the capacity to house and rehabilitate raptors such as kahu and our precious native Karearea and owls we have come to a point where we are needing to expand our enclosures to allow us even more space to rehabilitate these amazing birds.

Often falcons, hawks, owls and Ruru are bought in in critical condition, it's unsafe to move them to another facility which for some places can be hours away , if they have the setup to treat the many complex problems that come with one of these injured birds.

Avian Rescue Otago recieves these birds, we provide life saving treatment for those who would otherwise not make it them self and we rehabilitate our birds in a gold standard hands of method, no tethers or jests, no flight on tethers, instead we maintain minimal contact after completion of treatment during the rehab process. This Yeats seen a exceptional number of raptors through so we are fundraising $5000 to help with building new enclosures for these birds so they have ample space to practice their flight, build up their ability to navigate, take off and land.

These enclosures need to be very large so they do not come cheap! Ideally they would be make out of steel with coverage at one end aswell as kitted out with platforms, perches and natural plants.

Please help us reach our goal and become the first facility in Central able to hold and rehabilitate more of our local raptors so they can remain here in their homeland instead of having to go miles away for treatment that doesn't always mean they are returned.

Avain bird rescue based in Alexandra Central toago

21/02/2025

This kahu arrived last night after being pulled from the water in wanaka, luckily spotted by two people with a zoom lense taking photos . They luckily managed to get him ashore and he just lay there totally exhausted, after drying him off best they could he was placed in the car, heater going and I met half way to collect him. I spent the ride home sweltering in 29 degrees in the car to keep him warm.

Once back a further dry off and a exam was done. 1 foot was injured minorly and there's some tenderness in his wing but no breaks. He was placed into the oxygen cage and was feeling alot better today. We are unsure why he was in the water given he had good body condition and was otherwise healthy

20/02/2025

Avian Rescue Otago is now open again. Please if you find a native or threatened species in need of help give us a message on our page or call, if we don't answer please send a text outlining what bird and issues it has.

Due to increasing financial pressure and lack of funding (that's right we don't get grants, don't get paid by council, and wildlife authority, instead it falls on us, and though we care deeply for all species to ensure we can keep treating patients in need we have had to make the decision to not take on any birds except native or protected species including owls and hawk aswell as providing health checks and aftercare for your pet birds after veterinary treatment or in need of supportive care (costs apply)

17/02/2025

When you entrust a bird to our rescue, it will receive the care necessary to ensure its safe return to its natural environment whenever possible.

Our goal is to provide each bird with the best chance of recovery, whether that process is quick or lengthy. As a rescue organization, we are committed to reuniting birds with their natural habitats and will make every effort to return them to their area of origin.

We appreciate your understanding in allowing us to focus on the birds' care and rehabilitation, and we will contact you if it is safe to do so. We are dedicated to providing a safe and respectful environment for all birds, and we believe that native birds are an integral part of their ecosystems, belonging to the land rather than individuals.

16/02/2025

16/02/2025

Please head along and vote for us following the instructions in the post! We desperately need this!

13/02/2025

Our plant stall is still open! Look out in the next 5 days for mondo grasses to be added back onto the stall, a range of geraniums aswell as natives like manuka, hebes, kakabeak, Kowhai trees of multiple varietys aswell as our collection of old miniature roses and bush roses. So pop along and see what bargain you can find! Additionally e also have pots handdmade and glazsd just ask as im usually around. We are located at 50 Ventry Street

13/02/2025

Avian rescue itago is now open with reduced capacity for now. This means we are only able to take raptors and also emergency and critical care patients we are required to attend or are passed on via the Veterinarian. Thankyou for you cooperation and we hope to be running again soon with a few changes.

Check out this gorgeous hawk that had gone wondering from its nest before it was ready to fly. It came in emaciated, dehydrated, lethargic and had blood in its stool. After some time in care she's doing alot better!

06/02/2025

Avian Rescue Otago is currently closed due to staff shortage. I am sorry for any inconvenience this has caused but one of our teams currently unwell. We will reopen once they are better so keep an eye out for further updates on the page

30/01/2025

***URGENT***
Harrier hawk hit by car on Cardona valley road! If anyone sees him please pick him up and call us ASAP he needs urgent medical attention! Last seen here
https://goo.gl/maps/ma8tA44ziRW1uaSL8?g_st=ac

28/01/2025

Zena and he team of helpers have done such an amazing job being the response for the cleanup and Rescue of these birds. The 9 birds sent for intensive care till they are better are doing amazingly well, after just today they're trying to stand and walkbaresdy. Each is recieving IV fluids to help hydrate them and since then have perked up aloot. The juvinile black bill gull is recieving fluids and all are getting activated charcoal to prevent the toxins being absorbed further. After a number of bites from each one, they are in a stable condition and will remain on our intensive treatment protocol till they're better. We can't thank the amazing timaru family vet who Zena works in with, enough especially when birds are suffering. The mental impact of this for rehabbers is truly horrific. despite how mentally draining it it.
A huge thankyou to those who have bought birds down and offered ridesbas you can imagine it's not possible for me to travel there. We currently have a bird in waimate that's in a critical condition and needs a rife to transport it intonpur cate for hospitalization. Of anyone's going through waimate then please let us know if your wiling to take the bird with you and bring it to Avian Rescue or anywhere near and I can meet to provide emergency stabilisation prior to transportation.
Tbankyou to all the volunteers involved we couldn't have done it without you!

27/01/2025

***URGENT CALL TO HELP***
Currently there has been a large outbreak of Avian botulism discovered in timaru resulting in the death and paralysis of a unprecedented number of birds. Though the local rescue is doing all they can they are currently being turned away for assistance from EVERY organisation and the ones that have been found alive required euthanasia because of this. They have more that will be flooding in and with lack of resources they don't have the ability to take these birds on for rehab. We are looking for ANYONE traveling from timaru to anywhere within a hour of Alexandra that would be happy to transport as many as possible for us to transfer into intensive care for emergency treatment. Please if your able to help get in touch. Alot of the adults are leaving behind chick's when they die meaning even greater numbers of mortality but with treatment the adult ones can be better within as Shor a time as 4 days as opposed to the usual 2 weeks+

If you or someone you know is able to help then please reach out and share so we can try help atleast a few of these birds

26/01/2025

The young harrier admitted withbfrounce and heavy metal toxicity in avcriticak condition yesterday is feeling alot more stroppy after 24 hours of IV fluids and medications, food and rest even having the thebstrenght to act like a normal juvinile and attend to stike at me with its talons. We will continue therapy and hopefully before nontine the wee one will be feeling alot better and will fkedge in not time

25/01/2025

We were called about this beautiful hawk after an amazing g couple spotted this wee guy and after attempts to get help that resulted in a major systemic failure for our natives they luckily came across our page.

We headed out right away and he had been trying to fly and landing awkwardly, he even approached them. When we arrived he was one very sad bird. We walked up to him and he just stayed there hock sitting indicating possible poison or heavy metal toxicosis. He was severely dehydrated and underweight.

Upon exam cheese like lesions were seen in the mouth causin indicating frounce, more commonly known as canker. Frounce is a dangerous condition for raptors causing paralysis.

After a thorough assessment he was given a empirical dosage of calcium edta to reverse the effects of the lead. He was given IV fluids and oral vitamin k1 to help stabilize him aswell as medication to trat the frounce.

He's still in a critical condition but we are pulling out all the stops to help him survive. But hopefully his condition will improve quickly. Bloods will be taken to test for heavy metals he will be fed up to gain.n weight and treated for the canker. As you can imagine this is a very expensive treatment so please if you can spare any money at all you can donate via online banking to
AR&PS OTAGO
06-0917-0733230-00 even just a few dollars help us help these incredible birds recieve timely high quality care.
Massive thankyou to Peter and his wife for reaching out so we could get him into care despite being given the run around by certain clinics and organisation's. We are extremely greatful as he would not have lasted very long on his own