Wildlife rescue charity sees bird of prey influx

An animal rescue centre has said it has seen an increase in the number of birds of prey coming into its care.

Cuan Wildlife Rescue in Much Wenlock, Shropshire, said most had been found thin and grounded, most likely due to the hot summer making it difficult for them to find food.

Wildlife Care Assistant Sami Martin said: "They've got to spend more time sheltering out of the heat and less time hunting and eating."

The charity, which cares for a wide range of sick and injured animals, has already taken in more animals than in the whole of 2025 and Martin said: "Who knows what's going to happen with the weather for the rest of the year and who knows what effect it's going to have."

She said this summer's "unprecedented" heat had meant "their environment is being completely destabilised".

Martin explained that birds do not sweat, so they had been struggling to regulate their body temperature.

"They're adapted to British weather and it's not been very British this summer," she said.

"For example, a buzzard [has] got really good thick insulating feathers which are great for our cool summers and our rainy summers but not for 30-plus-degree heat."

Martin said when they take in birds of prey, their aim is always to build up their weight and their strength so they can fly again.

That usually involves observing the birds on test flights, and she said they wanted to be "100% happy they are going back at their full strength and able to take on the world again".

But she feared more extreme weather would cause further problems.

"Animals can't adapt as quick as we can unfortunately," she said.

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