Vet angered by senseless attack on tawny

Down and out: An x-ray, above right, reveals the lead slug probably fired from an air rifle which mortally wounded a young tawny frogmouth at Rye; left, the open wound near the bird’s shoulder.

Down and out: An x-ray, top right, reveals the lead slug probably fired from an air rifle which mortally wounded a young tawny frogmouth at Rye; left, the open wound near the bird’s shoulder. — Down and out: An x-ray, above right, reveals the lead slug probably fired from an air rifle which mortally wounded a young tawny frogmouth at Rye; left, the open wound near the bird’s shoulder.

Tawny frogmouths are often seen perched as a group and during the day are easily approached.

THE senseless shooting of a tawny frogmouth has upset and angered Rye Beach Veterinary Hospital staff.

The wounded juvenile was found on Old Melbourne Rd near the Rye football oval with a badly fractured and infected shoulder could not be helped and had to be euthanised.

X-rays revealed a lead pellet – probably fired from an air rifle.

“I was very upset to receive it as it was a lovely little bird,” said veterinarian Stacey Lethlean, who has treated injured native animals for the past 30 years.

The nocturnal raptor, which eats moths and small animals, is a well camouflaged predator. It is protected by law and Ms Lethlean will report the shooting to police.

“It was probably just a senseless thrill-kill,” she said. “Its wing was fractured and it had obviously been in a lot of pain.

“We only found the slug through x-rays, which makes me wonder whether other injured native animals brought in, but not x-rayed, have also been shot.”

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call Leading Senior Constable Daniel Riddle at Rosebud police, on 5986 0444.

First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 23 February 2016