We waited outside the operating room, watching
through the glass panels in the door, until
the procedure was over. Dr. Muller adjusted
the gas mix to oxygen only, the attendants
eased the falcon's head out of the funnel
and carried her to the recovery room, gently
placing her on the floor. She was immobile
at first. Soon she started trembling, then
flapping. She looked disoriented, and one
of the nurses held her as she tried to stand
on her feet, fell, and tried again for more
than 10 minutes.
The
hospital's recovery room has three examination "beds" for
avian patients and three low perches covered
with astroturf. Three hooded falcons perched
groggily on the astroturf, all queasy from
endoscopies. The hood covers their eyes and
keeps them calm, but they all swiveled their
heads to follow the sound of our voices.
Dr. Muller explained that falcons have very
sensitive feet, and that the massaging action
of the plastic blades of the astroturf stimulates
circulation, speeds recovery and helps with
all sorts of ailments of the foot--a bit
like the little plastic nodules on the footbed
of Dr. Scholl sandals.
The falcon hospital was founded in 1999
as the first public hospital in the world
dedicated to the care and treatment of falcons.
It is run by the Environmental Research and
Wildlife Development Agency (ERWDA) of Abu
Dhabi, and treats falcons from all over the
Arabian peninsula. And, since falconry is
an important tradition in the region, the
hospital is always busy, usually with requests
for check-ups.
The care and feeding of falcons is not simple.
The birds can contract infectious diseases
if not properly tended, and they are prone
to worm infestations. They must have a balanced
diet, as close to what they would hunt in
the wild, because this would give them all
the nutrients and minerals they need. But
it's not easy to duplicate such a diet.
Fresh food must be killed immediately before
feeding in order to prevent the development
of bacteria, and frozen food must be thawed
carefully for the same reason. Quail are
a good choice, but pigeons are not because
they often carry diseases. Mice--did you
know?--are rich in vitamin A, but rats supply
vitamin E which protects against stress.
Small
boys will be fascinated by a falcon practice
called "casting." It is
a little like the spitting out of fur-balls
by cats, and involves the regurgitation of
feathers, bones and skin in a sticky ball
after a meal. Incomplete casting can lead
to bacterial infections, and can even kill
your falcon. You can see why keeping falcons
at home may not be practical.
Falcons do not drink much water. But they
can absorb moisture through their skin and
feet, so they should always have access to
fresh water. Like us, they get dehydrated
when stressed.
The screech of a falcon would etch glass.
It is fierce, very loud, and can be sustained
for a long time. But we only heard it once,
from a falcon in solitary confinement in
a small, lucite-walled room. Dr. Muller had
not yet completed her diagnosis.
Falconers tend to prefer female falcons.
It's not because of their sweet disposition,
but because females are larger and stronger
than the males, have more stamina and make
better hunters since they can carry larger
prey. Hybrid falcons are larger, too, and
less prone to disease.
With laboratory facilities on the premises,
the falcon hospital can diagnose and treat
diseases without delay, an important consideration
for the care of falcons and a joy for Dr.
Muller. A small museum displays falconry
paraphernalia and maps of the falcon's migratory
routes--it sometimes serves as a welcome
distraction for anxious falconers waiting
to take their birds home.
