Winged visitor at the Palace

A "high-flying" visitor dropped by Malacañang yesterday but it was the Department of Environment and Natural Resources which was called to welcome the unexpected guest.

The visitor is a Brimehny Kite, a bird specie belonging to the eagle family which dropped from the sky and landed at the Palace grounds at about 10:30 a.m. The Presidential Security Group then called in rescuers from the DENR-Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) to revive the extremely weak bird.

DENR Secretary Elisea Gozun, who visited the bird at the PAWB Rescue Center in Quezon City, said it was not shot or hurt but was weak and tired.The bird, with brown wings and white chest feathers, is suspected to be someone’s pet and might have accidentally flown out of its cage.

Weighing 500 grams and as big as an average chicken, the new ward of the PAWB Rescue Center is said to be the smallest in the eagle family. It is not an endangered species but is included among the protected animals. – Pamela Samia