PATIENT OF THE WEEK
Fire Dept. Helps Renest Hawk
This juvenile Red-tailed hawk—found on the ground, separated from his two siblings—was brought to Tucson Wildlife Center for evaluation. Luckily, he had no injuries—just was a bit too adventurous for his own good. As a “brancher,” this young hawk is at the age where he is learning to climb, hop and flap among branches near the nest before he is fully ready to fly.
Thanks to a Northwest Fire/Rescue (NWFD) crew, we were able to renest him safely alongside his siblings. A temporary hanging basket (often our go-to for reuniting young raptors with their families) wasn’t a good fit for this eucalyptus tree—with no dense cover or lower, protected branches to give the hawk access to jump in and out.
Watch the video to see Shawn, the head of our rehabilitation team, work with NWFD to safely climb over 50 feet and place the young hawk on a branch beside the nest. After a few minutes of excited calling from his siblings, he hopped back into the nest—successfully reunited with his family. All the while, their watchful mother remained nearby, keeping an eye on her reunited trio. If you would like to help patients like this Red-tailed Hawk, click this link to donate
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