DURBAN - A PEREGRINE falcon will be examined at the Durban Natural Science Museum before undergoing taxidermy to determine the cause of death.
The Bluff community, where the falcon was found, are disputing whether or not the bird was electrocuted or struck by a pellet from an airgun on Sunday.
Resident Warren Keith Dick said he collected the falcon to give to the museum on Thursday. He said he could not see any visible injury on the bird.
“All I know is that airguns generally don’t make a big cracking bang, but arcing power lines do. I will take the bird to the Natural Science Museum on Thursday, where it will be used for further education. Really sad to have lost this beautiful bird, but going to science is not a total waste.”
Bluff ward councillor Zoë Solomon said the bird would undergo taxidermy and then become a display specimen.
“It was reported to me as a pellet gun attack. Someone killed this bird of prey with a pellet gun in the vicinity of Dover Road and Fowey Avenue.”
Bluff resident Lorna Naidoo said she reported to Solomon what she and nine others had seen.
Naidoo said they could be wrong about it being a pellet gun, but the bang and the force with which the bird fell backwards made them think it could be a pellet gun.
“Could be that it was shocked by the electricity wires, but I wonder if that is possible. My neighbours and I saw this falcon sitting on the electricity wires. After a bit we heard a loud bang and the bird dropped to the ground. A majestic creature suffered a horrible death.”
Daily News