Birds of Prey in Captivity
In the UK, birds of prey have been kept in captivity for a number of years and for a variety of reasons. You may have come across birds of prey in captivity, perhaps in a zoo or a specific centre or you might know someone who owns a bird of prey.
You may have some questions as to why the bird(s) are in captivity. If you have any questions you should always ask the person or organisation caring for the birds if you are unsure about something; walking away and making up your own mind can often be the worst thing to do.
In the UK anyone can own a bird of prey that has been bred in captivity regardless of knowledge, housing or experience. Sadly this means that birds of prey can and do fall into the wrong hands and are also used for financial gain.
Raptor Aid wants to help people understand more about birds of prey in captivity and what you should know.
Check out the links below
You may have also come across birds of prey whilst travelling the world and this can be a completely different scenario because of differing laws and cultures in certain countries. Two things that spring to mind with birds of prey in captivity abroad are owls being used for souvenir photographs and birds being sold in animal markets and on street stalls. If this is the case we ask you to gather photographic evidence, and in a respectful manner any basic information like location and number of birds. We recommend you do not engage in trying to rescue the bird(s) or get into any sort of conflict with their owners.