Rescued raptors released back into wild in Beijing

Eight common kestrels rescued this summer were released back into the wild at Beijing Nanyuan Forest Wetland Park on Thursday, China's second National Ecology Day.

The Beijing Raptor Rescue Center invited over a dozen rescuers and their families to participate in the release.

"We found a bird that couldn't fly while taking a walk in the neighborhood, and it didn't look like a regular bird," said Dong Yumei, who lives in the Wukesong area along the capital's western Fourth Ring Road and rescued a raptor in June with her family.

"Later, after searching online, we discovered it was a common kestrel, a second-level protected species in the country.

"I cut up some chicken to feed it, but it wouldn't eat. However, when I got close, it would open its mouth as if to peck at me, so I took the opportunity to throw the food in. By the fourth day, it started eating chicken and beef on its own and regained some strength."

The common kestrel lived in Dong's home for a week. But her grandson told her that raptors should not be kept at home and should be taken to a suitable rescue organization to ensure their health before being released back into the wild. She then found the contact information for the Beijing Raptor Rescue Center online.

The common kestrel rescued by Dong was among those released back into the wild on Thursday.

"In Beijing, from April to July every year is the breeding season for birds, and it is also a busy season for raptor rescue," said Zhou Lei, a senior raptor rehabilitation therapist at the center. "We have rescued 80 raptor chicks this year, and the BRRC has rescued about 6,000 from 40 species in total.

"The rescue situations of these eight common kestrel chicks are very similar. Most of them fell to the ground because they were not able to fully control their flight during their first attempts. The heavy rain and strong winds this year have also brought more challenges to the survival of these chicks."

A rescuer surnamed Zhang brought her 10-year-old daughter to participate in the release event.

"Watching these little lives grow from fragile chicks to strong adult birds gives me a sense of accomplishment," she said. "Through the process of rescuing and releasing, children plant the seeds of loving nature and wildlife conservation. This has immeasurable value for their growth and for becoming responsible global citizens in the future."

In China, all species of raptors are classified as national first- or second-class key protected wildlife. The common kestrel is among the most commonly seen raptors in Beijing, along with other species like the Oriental scops owl, the Eurasian eagle-owl and the northern goshawk. The capital serves as both a habitat for many raptors and a stopover along their migration routes.