Mildred, killer of fingers…
Springs, South Africa (20 January 2026) – The team at the South African Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre doesn’t usually receive patients with warning labels written on their boxes. Mildred changed that.
The Common Buzzard was rescued late one night after being found grounded in Pomona. The team suspected she had been poisoned. They rushed her to the clinic to start a full fluid flush to help clear whatever was in her system. When morning came, she was on the warpath. Signs that perhaps she was settling into her raptor ways. She quickly revealed her colours. The mother of angry dragons and killer of fingers…
“When we checked on her the next morning, she was upright, wings spread, eyes locked onto us like we were deeply personal enemies. She watched every movement. Calculated. Judged. Planned…The moment the carrier zip so much as thought about opening, Mildred the Merciless launched herself at our hands, arms, faces, and any other body part foolish enough to exist nearby.” shared the team.
It carried on like that for days! Thankfully, the SAWRC are passionate about what they do. They persevered.
“Even something as simple as adding food to her carrier became an activity that required a quick mental check of our medical aid benefits before proceeding.”
Eventually, once she was stable and eating well, the team made arrangements to move Mildred to their main rehabilitation facility, where she could be placed in a flight aviary for further monitoring.
“The challenge, of course, was getting her into the transport box…”
The Hope Dealers: Jozi Trails Looks After the City's Longest Green Artery
Banjo's Best Life! Scruffy Pup Found in Bushes Gets Happiest New BeginningWhen it was time to transfer her to the main rehab facility, Mildred delivered her most impressive move. She managed to hook a talon through the air holes of her transport box and got hold of a finger.
Hence the funny warning labels…
Common Buzzards are powerful hunters built with razor-sharp talons and lightning-fast reflexes. When they feel threatened, they don’t hesitate to defend themselves.
Mildred is now recovering well and will continue rehabilitation in a flight aviary before being released back into the wild. Hopefully far away from human fingers.
by 
