Rock kestrels, those small rust-coloured birds that one often sees soaring across our Cape skies, are no strangers to our Wildlife Department, which handles around 30 of these gorgeous birds of prey every month.

One of our recent admissions, nicknamed Small Sam, had been trapped in a windowless warehouse for weeks! Too frightened to leave through the door that he’d initially flown through, the factory workers assured our wildlife officers that they had shared their lunch with him.

Underweight and clearly in need of rescue, the officers patiently waited for the right moment and gently netted Small Sam before taking him back to the SPCA Wildlife Department where he was checked over and rehydrated for 24 hours. Once the team was satisfied that he was feathery fit to travel, Small Sam was transported to an accredited raptor rehabilitation facility.

Three weeks and much nursing later, small Sam was released near the site he’d been rescued from. He needed no coaxing to rush out of the open door of his transport box and soar into the sky.  Fly far, Small Sam!