Abu Dhabi resident calls police to rescue eagle stuck in balcony

The bird was saved with the help of Tadweer staff

An Abu Dhabi resident called police for help after a bird of prey was stuck on her balcony.

Shereen Sharaan was lying in bed on Wednesday when she heard a thud on her window.

When she looked out she could see a large bird – understood to be an eagle.

She did not pay much attention at first, as it was not uncommon to see birds strutting around outside.

However, the bird remained there for a couple of hours.

“It wasn’t moving,” said Ms Sharaan.

“And then a few minutes later, I saw it attempted to fly back. It started to jump, but it couldn’t. It was kind of limping and when it stretched its wings, the left one extended 100 per cent but the right wing was only about 40 per cent.”

The bird of prey was stuck on a balcony after being unable to fly away. Courtesy: Shereen Sharaan

Knowing it was probably injured, Ms Sharaan approached organisations for help.

She tried to reach Tadweer, Abu Dhabi Waste Management Centre, but was told they could not assist her.

Then she called the Falcon Hospital, who said they had cancelled home visits because of the pandemic.

Running out of options, she then called Abu Dhabi Police.

The officer told her they would contact a company for help, and within an hour four men from Tadweer came to take the bird away.

"When they came, they had a big cage and a specific glove that is used to handle eagles and falcons," she said.

“It was a bit stressed at first but as soon as they held it in a certain way and put it in the cage gently, it settled down. It was getting so restless on the balcony.”

Ms Sharaan posted on the Abu Dhabi Q&A Facebook page thanking the police for their assistance.

She said the men who took it away said it was a falcon, but many who reacted to the post disagreed.

“Just to correct this is an eagle not a falcon and normally they migrate before the hot season, this particular one. [Don't know] the reason why it did not migrate with the rest,” wrote one member.

“It is Osprey, one of the types of eagle family largely found in the mountains and desert areas. Such birds follow the falcons in their journey so they can either feed on hunting falcons or the preys that falcons hunt.”