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HEATHER FONE ©2006
A Red-tailed Hawk rests upon a tree branch. |
While observing a Red-tailed Hawk’s nest in their backyard, two Southern Californian bird watchers were aghast to see a young bird tumble from the nest and hit the ground. They quickly scooped up the dazed youngster and brought him immediately to The Fund for Animals Wildlife Center in Ramona, California. The staff found no fractures, just bumps and bruises from the fall, and felt that just a few days of recuperation would be sufficient to return the young hawk to his home.
A Red-tailed Hawk typically weighs between two and four and a half pounds and is one of the largest and most common of the hawks in North America. Nests are built in trees 15-70 feet from the ground between February and May, depending on the region. The female, who incubates them for about a month, lays one to two eggs. The youngsters stay in the nest for around a month and a half after birth, and then they prepare for flight by standing on the edge of the nest and flap their wings. Mom stays with her babies in the nest throughout this process, while the father hunts and brings back food for the entire family. It is possible that this youngster fell at this time and wasn’t ready yet to fledge.
Fortunately, though, after only two days in the medical center, the now rambunctious hawk was ready to try his wings in the large flight enclosure. To no one’s surprise, he flew like a rocket to the highest perch in the enclosure. The now fledgling hawk was ready to go back to his family.
In the meantime, the same concerned citizens found another juvenile hawk under the same nest, with an apparent foot or leg injury, and made another trip to the center with a bird in hand. This time the staff examination revealed a slightly bruised foot. The rehabilitation advice was the same—the young hawk needed a few days in the medical center just as his sibling had spent a few days earlier.
The first fledgling was placed in a crate and transported back to his nest. He was released there and quickly flew to the nearest branch. He began calling for his mom, who quickly responded by flying in from nowhere in sight and landed right beside her baby. Shouts of joy came not only from the mom and her prodigal child, but also from staff and the citizens who were able to witness this reunion.
Just three days later, the staff felt confident in releasing the second sibling. Arriving on the scene, the original fledgling could be seen high up in a tree looking beautiful and healthy. The second baby was released, quickly joined his sibling and began calling for mom. Again, seemingly from nowhere, a magnificent red tail could be seen as she landed right beside her two healthy youngsters. The staff cheered, shed a few joyful tears and left these three glorious birds to resume their wild lives.
There are few things more rewarding to a wildlife rehabilitator than returning an animal to its native habitat after he or she has recovered from a debilitating illness or injury. One of them is reuniting babies with parents after they have been nursed back to health.
The staff at The Fund for Animals Wildlife Center were able to accomplish this wonderful feat twice in one week, reuniting a Red-tailed Hawk family with each other and with the people on the ground, who they don’t know but who cared enough to seek treatment for the imperiled youngsters.
posted June 12, 2006
