PISCATAWAY — It was an ancient falconry practice that likely saved the life of a burned osprey. Imping, short for implanting, is a surgical technique where new feathers are grafted onto a damaged bird's feathers. The osprey, listed as a threatened species in New Jersey, was found in Verona with burned wing feathers earlier in the month. It was likely...
PISCATAWAY -- It was an ancient falconry practice that likely saved the life of a burned osprey.
Imping, short for implanting, is a surgical technique where new feathers are grafted onto a damaged bird's feathers.
The osprey, listed as a threatened species in New Jersey, was found in Verona with burned wing feathers earlier in the month. It was likely injured while perching on a smokestack from a methane burner, possibly at a nearby landfill. It's common for landfills to burn off unwanted methane gas which is produced by decomposing organic matter. The systems produce a nearly invisible flame of up to 1,700 degrees Fahrenheit.
"It is something we have seen in the past," said Chris Soucy, Director of the Raptor Trust in Millington where the surgery was performed. "The bird was unable to fly very well. Certainly not well enough so it can survive in the wild for very long." If a bird survives such an encounter and is unable to fly, it's likely to die from starvation, infection, predation or exposure to the elements.
Dr. Erica Miller performed the surgery to repair the damaged wing. The process requires the shaft of the damaged feather to be cut out. A new feather is inserted using a light weight dowel and then glued into place. The replacement feathers came from Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research in Delaware who keep a feather bank. Feathers are harvested and saved from birds that did not survive.
Over time, the implanted feathers will molt out and the bird will have a new set. The procedure is used on birds of prey because it can take more than one year for them to naturally molt a damaged feather. "We turned this bird into the six million dollar bird," joked Soucy.
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The surgery at the Trust was a success and the osprey was ready for release. Robert Blair, a 16 year part-time staffer at the Trust, used a net to capture the bird from its flight cage. The bird was placed in a carrier, covered and transported to Johnson Park in Piscataway adjacent to the Raritan River where it was returned to the wild. "This is a bird that feeds primarily on fish," said Soucy. "So that's a good spot for him."
"You get to feel the power of the bird in your hands as you release it," according to Blair. "It's just awesome to see him go."
Andre Malok may be reached at amalok@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @AndreMalok. Find NJ.com on Facebook.