Cristina Hodgson
A KESTREL has been rescued from a chimney in Benahavis after the homeowner called the Guardia Civil for help.
The incident occurred at the end of June, when a homeowner in Benahavis became aware of the sound of insistent flapping coming from the chimney area and quickly realised that a bird had got itself trapped in the chimney and was desperately, yet unsuccessfully, trying to escape.
The homeowner immediately contacted the Spanish Nature Protection Service, SEPRONA, which is a unit of the Spanish Civil Guard responsible for nature conservation and management of the hunting and fishing industry.
The SEPRONA agents swiftly arrived at the scene and confirmed that a kestrel had been trapped in the chimney flue.
The agents had to dismantle part of the fireplace entrance to gain access to where the bird was trapped before it was successfully rescued.
However, despite offering the bird of prey some water and food and trying to return it to its natural habitat, the bird was unable to take flight, showing clear signs of exhaustion.
Due to its weakened state the predatory bird was transferred to the Centre for the Recovery of Endangered Species (CREA) where it will be cared for until fully recovered and ready to go back to the wild.
A Kestrel is a species of predatory birds from the falcon genus Falco, easily distinguished by their typical hunting behaviour which is to hover at a height of around 10–20 metres over open country and swoop down on ground prey, usually small mammals, lizards or large insects.
Kestrels are one of the most colourful summer visitor birds of prey in Spain, most commonly found in southwest Spain, specifically along the Sevilla – Doñana area.
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