My run-in with a Red-Tailed Hawk

November 6, 2009 | Category: Wildlife Photography

I have lived in Davenport for about 5 years and there has been a mated pair of Red-Tail hawks that live in the wooded area behind my home. They have always been very shy but every once in a while, they would allow me within 25 yards before flying away.
I have always enjoyed photographing them in their natural habitat and when I used to leave early for work, I would find them sitting at the top of the power pole behind my home and screech at me as I got in the car.
 
On this particular day, I went out for my casual walk searching for various types of wildlife when I ran across one of the hawks on the railroad tracks. I froze and went down to the ground to start snapping photos when it hit me that something was wrong.
 
I got up and slowly walked toward him and noticed that he would not fly away but I could tell he was frightened. I walked around him within 10 feet and still he did not move. And it wasnt until I walked behind him that I noticed what looked like an injured wing.
I immediately walked home and called the zoo who gave me a number to a wildlife specialist who gave me a number to the Raptor Recovery Center in Cedar Rapids, IA. The message on their machine before I left my message mentioned putting the animal in a cage or a box which I must say, really intimidated me because the size of this hawks talons were huge.

 I had a small dog crate that I took with me and went back to the hawk. He was still there so I slowly moved up and placed the cage over the top of him and turned the cage on its side using a long stick to slowly nudge him in. He immedately went on his back as a defense move and grabbed the stick I was using with his talons. There was no way I was going to fight with him so I let him have it. While my heart pounded trying to get him in the cage, the female kept flying by wanting me to leave and screeching at me.

I brought him home to wait for the return phone call from the Raptor Recovery Center, but I had to take some photos at a park in Rock Island. As I was leaving the park, I received the call and planned to meet the person in Walcott, IA. When she arrived (just before a huge thunderstorm hit the area) she examined the bird and noticed he had been starving for some time and did not look very healthy. She was going to take him back and try to rehabilitate him back to good health and then release him in the spot where I found him.

Unfortunately I was notified two days later that the bird did not survive. And upon examination, was found to have been starving due to a broken wing and the inability to hunt. Now, the female hawk has abandoned this territory and I have only seen one passing through. I sure do miss having them around and hope that one day soon, another pair will take over this hunting territory.

Tags: ,

No Comments

Leave a Reply