Cambodia News: Okhna Mong Reththy has bought 20 baby eagles for feeding until they are all bigger, when he will release them into plantations

Mr. Mong Reththey said he met some people from Preah Vihear on February 17, 2021, who had brought 22 baby eagles for sale in front of the Soriya restaurant.
Eventually, he realized those eagles were very rare and were about to become extinct. This is why he bought those eagles in order to take care of them until they were big enough to be released into oil palm plantations.

Since 1996, over 200 birds, including owls, tawny owls, ban owls, and eagles, have been released into palm plantations to eat the rats and snakes.

It's surprisingly easy and cheap to get them. One of our fighters went to the market to buy groceries and came back with a juvenile Eagle. As to why his reply was roughly 'Dude, $50 for an Eagle?! Who says no to that?'
Luckily we convinced him to pass it on to the local wildlife organisation.

No way are those birds eagles (some kind of hawk or harrier I’m guessing) they are way to small and judging by the stage of their plumage they are not going to grow so much bigger, especially if they are only getting fed strips if cleaned chicken, they need feather, fur, bones for calcium, vitamins and other goodness that can only be gleaned from whole carcasses.
The guy probably has good intentions, but it does not appear he has the knowhow to raise them and prepare them for release into the wild (keeping them in a hanging budgie cage is not the usual method used by falconers)

Hanno will know.

Chad Sexington wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 6:48 pm No way are those birds eagles (some kind of hawk or harrier I’m guessing) they are way to small and judging by the stage of their plumage they are not going to grow so much bigger, especially if they are only getting fed strips if cleaned chicken, they need feather, fur, bones for calcium, vitamins and other goodness that can only be gleaned from whole carcasses.
The guy probably has good intentions, but it does not appear he has the knowhow to raise them and prepare them for release into the wild (keeping them in a hanging budgie cage is not the usual method used by falconers)

Something tells me the Okhna has the cash and the connections that will see the birds taken care of by knowledgeable falconers. I truly like to think so anyhow

Looking at the young juveniles, I would take a guess that they are black kites.

Ignorance, good will, self interest, mythical powers, sentimentality, easy answers, ego, kindness, impunity...
Where do you start? This story contains all of these and more.

Anyway, it's a long row we have to hoe.
- to explain to Khmers how they can save the things they love so much.
(and they do)

A thousand years of mystical thinking has given Khmers a deep reverence and symbolic standing for it's wildlife - but that very same 1000 year denial of Science/empirical truth is now Cambodia's biggest threat - ESPecially notable when it comes to managing its environment and natural resources.

At least... we do have that deep innate reverence as a starting point.

AndyKK wrote: ↑Sat Feb 20, 2021 2:45 am Looking at the young juveniles, I would take a guess that they are black kites.

I think you are correct, most likely black kites.
If so, they are not ideally suited for hunting in palm plantations, they are more suited to hunting open country, soaring in search of their prey.

SternAAlbifrons wrote: ↑Sat Feb 20, 2021 3:35 am Ignorance, good will, self interest, mythical powers, sentimentality, easy answers, ego, kindness, impunity...
Where do you start? This story contains all of these and more.

Anyway, it's a long row we have to hoe.
- to explain to Khmers how they can save the things they love so much.
(and they do)

A thousand years of mystical thinking has given Khmers a deep reverence and symbolic standing for it's wildlife - but that very same 1000 year denial of Science/empirical truth is now Cambodia's biggest threat - ESPecially notable when it comes to managing its environment and natural resources.

At least... we do have that deep innate reverence as a starting point.

Chad Sexington wrote: ↑Sat Feb 20, 2021 9:57 am

AndyKK wrote: ↑Sat Feb 20, 2021 2:45 am Looking at the young juveniles, I would take a guess that they are black kites.

I think you are correct, most likely black kites.
If so, they are not ideally suited for hunting in palm plantations, they are more suited to hunting open country, soaring in search of their prey.

I think in this case because of the number of them, that we see the Okhna has, someone is breeding them. Also Kites are very adaptable.
From Wikipedia

Food and foraging​[edit]

Black kites are most often seen gliding and soaring on thermals as they search for food. Their flight is buoyant and the bird glides effortlessly, changing directions easily. They will swoop down with their legs lowered to snatch small live prey, fish, household refuse and carrion, for which behaviour they are known in British military slang as the shite-hawk. They are opportunist hunters and have been known to take birds, bats,[19] and rodents.[20][21] They are attracted to smoke and fires, where they seek escaping prey.[22] It has been claimed in native Australian beliefs, that kites spread fires by picking and dropping burning twigs so as to flush prey.[23] The Indian populations are well adapted to living in cities and are found in densely populated areas. Large numbers may be seen soaring in thermals over cities. In some places, they will readily swoop and snatch food held by humans.[14][24] Black kites in Spain prey on nestling waterfowl especially during summer to feed their young. Predation of nests of other pairs of black kites has also been noted.[25] Kites have also been seen to tear and carry away the nests of baya weavers in an attempt to obtain eggs or chicks.[26]

Also a little on the red kite

http://yorkshireredkites.net/general/hi ... %20Century.