We are excited to share this latest wildlife release of Patient #22-4645, a juvenile, Red-tailed hawk that was rescued from a chicken coop the day before Thanksgiving. The injured patient was unable to fly, starving & emaciated, showing signs of possible head trauma, and an injured talon. Red-tailed hawks belong to a group of ‘soaring raptors’ known as buteo where they hold the record for the largest and most widespread hawk in North America.
Unable to fly and without proper care, this hawk would not survive long in the wild. Red-tailed hawks are built to soar and hunt. They average a wingspan just over four feet, an eyesight eight times sharper than humans, and they sport two sharp talons, 1.3” long, used to catch prey. A thorough examination and x-ray of Patient 22-4645 found no breaks to her wings or feet. The veterinarian prescribed a daily medical treatment and with time to heal, she could make a full recovery.
Each day for an entire month, wildlife technicians soaked the hawk’s talon in epsom salt, applied medical honey, and a wet wrap bandage. By the end of the first week, she was alert and taking off her bandages (a good sign). By the end of the third week, she was grasping with both of her talons, perching, eating well, and gaining weight.
After 6 weeks in our care, this Red-tailed hawk was transferred to an outdoor flight enclosure. We spent a couple of weeks testing her wings, monitoring her ability to take off, touch down, and gain altitude. After 59 days in our care, Patient #22-4645 had healed from her wounds and doubled her original emaciated weight. When technicians were confident in her ability to return to the wild, she was transported back to where she was found and released.
The rescue, rehabilitation, and release of this raptor required dozens of people and hours to provide daily care: monitoring her condition, changing bandages, soaking her talons, preparing nutritious diets, cleaning her enclosure, and transporting her for veterinary care and release. Thank you to our team of staff, interns, rescuers, volunteers, and donors who helped this red-tailed hawk receive a second chance at a wild life.
Best of luck Patient #22-4645. Happy soaring and happy hunting!
