Masked Owl - Nswfmpa.org

11.9Specific Requirements• It is best to have two globes in brooder in case one globe is blown through thenight, there will be a back up globe so chicks are still provided with warmth andwill not become cold and die.11.10 Pinioning RequirementsPinioning is defined as an act of cruelty under the “New South Wales Welfare Code ofPractice No 4”.11.11 Data RecordingAll records should include detailed information on the location where the bird was foundas well as the circumstances of the rescue, if of wild origin.Birds should be weighed and aged as best as possible. proper development and generalhealth status is best assessed by closely monitoring and documenting body weight,feeding habits and behavior , digestive function, and feather condition.11.12 Identification MethodsSize is the best way to identify young chicks up to the age of 10 weeks of age after thatowls can have leg bands/ rings applied as a means of identification.11.13 HygieneOnly clean eggs should be put into the incubator. There are egg disinfectants on themarket and one can follow their directions. All the equipment used like the incubator,brooder, nest container etc. must be disinfected after each use.Keepers at Featherdale Wildlife Park use F10 a veterinary disinfectant in incubators andhot boxes. MSDS for F10 is included in appendix.11.14Behavioral Considerations• If you intend to release owl into wild it is recommended to remain as silent aspossible during feeding and cleaning but making owls noises to chick is okay.• To insure positive imprinting a recording of masked owl vocalizations can beplayed to the chick.• Sexual imprinting is a behavioural adaptation that establishes a bird’s identity andgives it a fixed visual perception of what its future mate should look like. Birdstypically imprint when they are very young. Raptor imprinting occurs during theperiod when the birds eyes are beginning to focus. In the wild, young birdssexually imprint on their parents. Later in life they will try to mate with – anddefend their territory against- something that looks like mum or dad.Birds raised in captivity can sexually imprint on their human caretakers. Whenthey reach sexual maturity, they frequently become territorial and aggressivetoward people during breeding seasons, can be difficult to handle, and arepotentially dangerous to their handlers.Human imprints can retain food begging behaviours as adults, which may causethem to “scream” often loudly, when they see their handlers.49