Parys WADER

20/10/2026

Meet Bella, a young Spotted Eagle-Owl whose story we follow as a Fochville family watches over her.

When they found her on the ground, they contacted Parys WADER. We guided them to safely photograph her wing feathers, which helped us confirm she is entering the fledgling stage, when spending time on the ground is normal.

The family agreed to keep a watchful eye on her and named her Bella. One parent returned on the first evening, although feeding was not confirmed.

Today, on day three, Bella is happily hopping around, with both her mother and father keeping watch.

Thank you to the family for working with us and monitoring Bella while she remains with her parents. We look forward to sharing her progress.

11/10/2026

In this video, Nonna, our Western Barn Owl, shows a behaviour called allopreening.

Allopreening is when one bird uses its beak to groom another bird’s feathers. It can help maintain feathers, particularly around the head and neck, where birds cannot easily reach with their own beaks. It also has a social role, helping birds maintain relationships and strengthen bonds between breeding partners.

Here, Nonna directs this grooming behaviour towards her human caretaker. It offers a glimpse into her behaviour, but it is important to understand her individual story.

Nonna is not a pet. She is imprinted and cannot return to the wild. Parys WADER holds a valid captivity permit for her.

Read about Nonna and how she came to remain in our care on our blog. Link in the comments below.

10/10/2026

A little curiosity and a hand-fan—Nonna has found something interesting to investigate!

Nonna is not a pet. Get to know the owl behind this playful moment. Link in the comments below.

10/10/2026

I wonder whether people realise how much of a wildlife rehabilitator's time they waste by reporting a case and then ghosting us. We have been anxiously waiting for a rescuer to send us a video of the bird for more than an hour after they reported it. We cannot assess the situation from a photograph of what seems to be a perfectly healthy juvenile bird.

09/10/2026

This week, Parys WADER admitted two Spotted Eagle-Owls: a young chick and an older adult.

On Monday evening, a farmer reported an injured Lesser Flamingo. They had seen two flamingos, but the second had been missing for some time. We gathered our team and headed out first thing on Tuesday morning. After a 5 km hike, we found the missing flamingo, which had been dead for several days. A few steps further, we found the injured bird, also dead. The evidence suggests that water mongooses killed both birds.

Our sincere thanks to local volunteer Christen, and SAFRING bird ringers Shonie and Kobie, who travelled all the way from Vanderbijlpark to help with the search. We deeply appreciate their time and effort.

Sadly, after two weeks of doing everything we could for our very ill Egyptian Goose gosling, we also had to make the difficult decision to humanely euthanise him. A special thank you to Dr Brigitta Wessels for supporting the Parys WADER team through a very emotional week. Your kindness and support mean so much to us.

Our Johannesburg-based non-executive director, Ernest Mhlongo, also visited our facility and the Parys Wetland Park this week.

Your donations help us respond to reports and provide care for the birds that reach us. Please consider contributing:

Bank: Capitec Business
Account name: Parys WADER
Account number: 1054348650

Thank you for supporting Parys WADER through the hopeful days and the heartbreaking ones.

05/10/2026

Good intentions are not enough to protect a wild animal's future.

I watched her life slip away peacefully, but inside me, anger overwhelmed sadness. I cried, unable to tell my tears of heartbreak from my te...

05/10/2026

This morning, after consulting our vet and my mentor, I made the heartbreaking decision to have a seven-month-old Egyptian Goose humanely euthanised.

She arrived at Parys WADER at four months old, without any history of her previous care. Over the past three months, I tried both soft and hard release, and socialising her with other geese. She remained aggressive towards her own species and every other species at our facility, but not towards humans. I recognised that she was imprinted.

She could not return to the wild. Her aggression also ruled out sanctuary placement. Her remaining future would have meant living alone in an enclosure for the rest of her life. After consultation, we did not consider that an acceptable quality of life.

I am heartbroken, and I am angry. Although I do not know her full history, this case shows why raising a wild bird is not simply a matter of keeping it alive.

The emotional cost does not end with the bird. Rehabilitators and vets must carry the distress of making these decisions, often after months of trying to find a better outcome. What begins as someone’s good deed can leave an animal without a suitable future and the people caring for it deeply traumatised.

Please do not attempt to raise wildlife yourself. Contact a permitted wildlife rehabilitator and arrange appropriate care. Good intentions are not enough to protect a wild animal’s future.

Marisa Louw
Founder and Executive Director
Parys Wetland Avian Development and Emergency Rescue NPC
wader.parys.co.za

02/10/2026

The first image shows Parys WADER’s current facility. The second shows our vision for the future—a better-equipped facility where we can provide even better care for the birds that need us.

Expansion costs money, and we cannot achieve this alone. We need the support of our community and corporate partners to turn this vision into reality.

If you, your business, or someone you know can donate building materials or equipment, or would like to make a tax-deductible donation, please WhatsApp Marisa on 0649635386.

19/09/2026

https://www.citizen.co.za/parys-gazette/news/news-news/2026/09/19/nonnetjiesuil-uit-skoorsteen-gered/

Naas die rehabilitasie fasiliteit fokus Parys WADER op bewusmaking veral rondom wildevoëls.

18/09/2026

Our latest patient is an adult Western Barn Owl rescued from a chimney. After moving into their new home, his rescuers noticed a foul smell and investigated. They found a smaller owl that had died, as well as this adult still alive.

They immediately sought professional guidance, kept him warm overnight, and drove 60 km to bring him to Parys WADER today. He is stable and will be closely monitored over the next few days.

With fuel costs placing additional pressure on households, we deeply appreciate their commitment to ensuring this owl reached professional care.