NSW: No nerves for eagle's first public flight

AAP General News (Australia)
12-16-2008
NSW: No nerves for eagle's first public flight

SYDNEY, Dec 16 AAP - As Nonami, Taronga Zoo's newest wedge-tailed eagle, soared over
Sydney in her first public flight, a territorial magpie took exception.

Spotting the six-year-old bird on her handler's arm at an oval near the zoo, the feisty
magpie swooped, and swooped again.

When Nonami launched off the arm of her trainer Matt Kettle, the magpie gave chase,
swooping a few more times before finally giving up its attack on one of Australia's largest
birds of prey.

"It went much better than I was anticipating," Mr Kettle said of the eagle's flight,
which had been practised privately for three months.

"I didn't expect to lose her, but I wasn't expected the best behaviour either."

The bird was donated to the zoo earlier this year by the Victorian man who raised her
after she was found as a 12-week-old orphan.

Mr Kettle said the bird had done well just to survive being abandoned.

"Probably 80 per cent won't turn one (years old) in the wild," Mr Kettle said.

Nonami is a competent flyer, despite her turbulent upbringing, he said.

"She was a strong flyer, but she may not have been super fit.

"Flying is not a skill that birds are born with - it's a skill, and lots of birds die
in the process of trying to learn."

Mr Kettle said the wedge-tailed eagle had actually benefitted from land clearing, because
it made hunting simpler.

"The more forests we chop down, the more rabbits we see and rabbits have become the
eagle's main diet," he said.

Nonami will now be taking part in daily shows at Taronga Zoo, he said.

AAP pbc/hn/bwl

KEYWORD: EAGLE (PIX AVAILABLE)

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