HART Wildlife Rescue, an Alton-based charity that provides a rescue, treatment and rehabilitation service for wild animals has opened a new, custom-built bird of prey aviary at its premises in neighbouring Medstead.

The £4,750 facility has been designed to give the birds more space, and a more natural environment and enables staff to test birds’ ability to fly before they are released back into the wild.

The project has been funded by the Mrs D M (Dinah Mary) France-Hayhurst Trust – a grant-making charity, based in Cheltenham, that primarily supports charities concerned with animal welfare.

According to a HART Wildlife spokesperson, the aviary has been a major project that has taken a year to bring to fruition but will be worth its weight in gold. It said in a statement: “The charity is funded entirely by public donations and grants, and receives no government funding.

“Receiving this grant meant that a new enclosure could be specially designed with the needs of birds of prey in mind, resulting in a natural, yet stimulating environment for rescued birds to recuperate and get ready to be released back into the wild.

“Moving the birds of prey to the new aviary also means that the old space can be transformed into a larger enclosure for other animals that are moving from the hospital to the outside area in preparation for their own release.

“This, in turn, means more space in the hospital for animals which will allows the hospital to rescue and treat more casualties in need.”

Thanking the trust for its generous grant, Hart hospital manager Lauren Todd said: “It really means that the birds needs can be met at a much higher level, and that we can fully test their ability to fly before their release – which is something we have not been able to do before.

We also really appreciate the efforts of Bob Nash, who actually built the enclosure and finished it to the high standard that it is today.”

She added: “The new aviary is a huge step forwards for HART and its bid to rescue and rehabilitate wild animals, providing a natural and realistic environment for our much loved birds of prey to get ready to be released.”

The enclosure welcomed its first residents recently in the form of seven tawny owls and a sparrow-hawk that are are being prepared for life in the wild.