Hula Valley wild life center treats young buzzard suffering from avian pox

A young long-legged buzzard arrived at the Agamon Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (AWRC) in the Hula Valley earlier this week from the Hai-Bar Carmel nature reserve for treatment.

The AWRC team examined the fledgling buzzard and found it was suffering from skin lesions caused by Avian Pox (Avipoxvirus).

The disease is transmitted by mosquito bites which transfer it from bird to bird. Avian pox is similar to chicken pox in humans in that it mostly affects younger birds.

The virus is not dangerous to humans.

Treatment and recovery

To treat the skin lesions, the team disinfected and cleaned the lesions until they had healed, to prevent the development of secondary infections.

The fledgling received a nutritious diet to aid in recovery and privacy and quiet to prevent stress.

The AWRC team noticed that when the buzzard became stressed, it began struggling and trying to escape, which damaged its wings.

To prevent further damage, vets at the center decided to pad the buzzard's wings and use bandages to prevent it from further damaging its wings.

The long-legged buzzard, a large bird with spectacular chestnut brown plumage, is one of the most impressive raptors in Israel.

It is a skilled hunter that hunts small mammals, reptiles, and even birds with its strong claws. It typically nests in the countryside on cliffs and trees.

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