Injured birds of prey are nursed back to health so that they can be released back into the wild where they belong, with the best chance possible to survive and thrive. Birds of prey need to be in peak physical condition before release. An essential facility is the circular flight aviary, the largest of its type in the Southern hemisphere. With no visible end-point birds can fly as far as they like and as their physical health allows without being forced or restricted. This length of flight is not possible with a regular-shaped aviary. Peg has a passion for ensuring birds are released with the best chance possible to survive and thrive, has extensive experience with raptors & has completed four internships at the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital. Now a Churchill Fellow 2017, she will contine her passion in 2018 to advance and exchange Australian Bird of Prey rehabilitation and release practices, as well as caring, virtually on her own, for the over 100 birds that come to her centre every year from various carer groups across the state, vets, and organisations like Taronga Zoo.

 

 

Peggy McDonald has always had a love of Australian wildlife and began caring for reptiles as a young girl under the tuition of both her father and Eric Worrell, founder of the Australian Reptile Park at Gosford. Her passion and commitment has never wavered, but in the early 1990’s two things happened that saw her love of birds and understanding of just how specific their rehabilitation requirements are unfold. Her first Gang Gang cockatoo came into care and he was to go on to show her just what remarkable, inte18lligent, emotional and very special creatures birds are. Completing a course with Jerry Olsen in 1992, opened up the world of bird of prey rehabilitation, and a determination to seek and share knowledge with regard to their precise needs in the rehabilitation sector in Australia, began. Her first internship at the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital in 2011, under Dr Margit Muller, lit the spark that has now become the reality of ARCC Inc. and the dream to witness and help facilitate Australia move towards the forefront of world raptor care and release practices has taken wings.

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