09/08/2026
MAX
Paul and Sandy spotted a Red Kite looking incredibly dishevelled, crossing a road in Lairg. He was desperately trying to flap his wings but appeared to be struggling and wet.
They were happy to uplift him and call first to see our friends at Sutherland Vets for an initial assessment, where major injuries were happily ruled out.
What was very strange was that this bird of prey seemed to be entirely coated in a layer of oil, and when they arrived here we employed our noses and agreed that it smelled like Linseed Oil! And a lot of it.
He was found close to the recycling centre so we can only assume he'd come into contact with a spill.
Usually Red Kites use thanatosis, or tonic immobility to fool potential predators into thinking they are dead - useful for handling, but we have to be very aware that this is a stress response. Instead of going into fight or flight mode, they go ccompletely limp, tucking their wings, dropping their heads, and sometimes even sticking out their tongues (like in this picture of him during his triage here).
The first of several rounds of washing and drying started, with quiet rest periods, rehydration and small meals.
He looks much better than this picture suggests, and is now self feeding, so we are cautiously optimistic for his future ๐
