Treating Nests

To apply preventative treatment, a trained raptor biologist and climber will carefully climb the tree and access the nest. The full clutch, usually 2–3 eggs, is briefly removed from the nest, placed in a small bag, and lowered to the ground. While the eggs are safe with the ground crew, the climber sprays the nest with a diluted insecticide. After the nest is sprayed, the climber secures a motion-activated camera near the nest. If the nest is not successful, cameras help biologists determine the cause of failure, allowing them to better protect the species in the future.  

On the ground, a biologist measures the eggs, checks for fertility, and determines the developmental stage of the embryo. The length and width of the egg are measured using calipers.

Fertility and the developmental stage of the egg is determined by “candling” the egg. Candling is when a small light is held against the end of the egg, illuminating what is inside.Once the nest is dry, the camera is set, the eggs are measured and candled, they are ready to be placed back into the nest. 

The eggs are again placed in a secure bag, raised back into the tree, and carefully placed into the nest. Immediately after the eggs are back in the nest, the climber quickly descends from the tree and the team moves away from the area. Usually, within moments of exiting the tree, the adult female will return to her nest and resume incubation. If nests are treated prior to hatch, young will have a significantly higher chance of survival, often fledgling without a single parasite visible on their body. 

If a nest isn't discovered until after the young have hatched, our team will carefully remove the botfly larvae one by one, treat the nest, and then gently put the nestlings safely back into their nests. Botfly larvae can grow to be quite large inside a young bird's body.