My new eagle won't eat. Do wild birds of prey refuse dead food?

Hello, and thanks for your question. That's a raptor - a bird of prey. It is a carnivore (meat eater), and should absolutely NOT be kept as a pet. It's a wild animal, and many raptors are protected by law. I recommend touching base with your local university and/or veterinary hospital. They should be able to connect you with a local ornithologist (bird expert) or wildlife rehabilitator, who will best be able to care for this bird. Without knowing more about the bird and being able to examine it, I cannot guide you further. Male and female raptors often look very similar, so I can't tell you which it is from these photos. I suspect it's a juvenile (young bird) since it's not immediately flying away from you - so it may not yet be able to live on its own if you were to simply release it, depending on how long it's been captive. I encourage you to do the right thing for this beautiful wild animal, and make sure it finds its way into the hands of someone who is knowledgeable in the area of raptor care. I hope this helps! All the best to you!

When wild animals no longer try to escape from humans, it generally means they are very sick. You may go online to see if there is an Audubon society or a zoo that will accept wild birds for treatment. Try to keep it warm and in a safe location. Put trays of food and water nearby. Offer birdseed and some fresh fruits and greens. Keep in mind, birds are very fragile and it may not make it. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Cats are natural hunters and even though they captive cats are not hungry they will still have the urge to hunt small prays. while rarely eating them, many cats will still be very possessive of their pray.

It appears to be a species of Egret. They eat small fish, frogs, aquatic and terrestrial insects, small reptiles and small birds. It would be best if you could get the bird into the hands of a wildlife rehabilitator. It may require veterinary care after a proper exam to determine the extent of any injuries.

Their diet in the wild is mostly insects and berries, so purchasing some live crickets from a local pet store, or some berries from your store and offering them may help get them used to what they would forage for in the wild as they get weaned off the kitten food (and can be fun to teach baby birds how to catch food with live insects.) If there isn't a wildlife rehab nearby (India does have several), you can also see if there is a vet or group in your area that does wildlife rescue that may be better equipped for caring for the birds and releasing them back into the wild once they are old enough.

Ideally, it should be examined by an experienced wildlife or avian veterinarian. The symptoms reported may be due to injury or infection on or around the feet. It may also be diet related. Dog food and cheese are not appropriate foods as these birds subsist on a diet of small prey, insects, fruits and vegetables. It is never recommended to feed wildlife as it can be detrimental to them and dangerous to you.

If you've found wild baby birds it would be best to try and find a local wildlife rehabilitation center in your area to turn them over to. The biting could be that they have an underlying illness or injury that needs to be treated, or they are hungry/not getting the right nutrition and so are becoming agitated. A wildlife rehab center can ensure they get the correct food, and can treat any injuries so that the birds can be released back into the wild once they are old enough.