10 replies to this topic

[dukw_butter]

Saw this immature Red-Tailed hawk today near Morrison, Colorado.  Took a few shots and then got home and checked them out on the computer. I was like...wow.  What happened to this bird? I thought that hawks had no natural predators?  What tore into this thing?  Yikes.

 

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[dukw_butter]

Here's a cropped version of the same photo so you can see the wound a little better. Ouch.

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[Aberrant]

Ouch that's gnarly, what about a collision with something?

[lonestranger]

Ouch is right. Obviously we can only guess what happened and my first guess would be a close call with barbed wire fencing. If the hawk were chasing prey along a fence line, I could see where this type of injury might occure. My second guess would be the hawk over estimated it's prey's ability to fight back, such as a cat. My third guess would be, he brought a date back to the nest on Valentine's Day and his mate didn't approve.

[dukw_butter]

I don't think a collision would open up his chest like that.  My guess is another bird tried to eat his heart out of his chest.  There has been a mature bald eagle in the general vicinity recently.  There are also mature Red-Tailed Hawks in the area.  Maybe another bird is trying to get him to move to another hunting ground?  I dunno.  I'm just guessing here.  I doubt he will survive with that wound though.  It looks pretty much fatal to me.

[keetabirdy]

Do you drive by the area often? If you think you could find the bird again (I doubt he would travel far with his injuries) sometimes there are wildlife rehabilitation centers that can help birds like this. Get them healed and then re-release them. My sister volunteers at the one in Tucson.

[keetabirdy]

I did a google search and this appears to the be the rehab center closest to Morrison:

 

Wildlife 2000

4905 West Lakeridge Road Denver, CO 80219-5630   (303) 935-4995

[dukw_butter]

This is an interesting thought. Not a bad idea.  But how do I catch him?

[Laurel99]

dukw_butter:

This is an interesting thought. Not a bad idea.  But how do I catch him?

I've never been in this situation, but maybe you could call the rehab center, talk to them about it and see what they recommend first.  They may send someone out to your location or be able to tell you how to proceed safely for everyone.  

Good Luck!!

Laurie

[noahcomet]

The rehab idea is a good one---but to be clear: you don't catch him!  The rehabber/s might.  They have ways, using netting, sometimes a decoy.  But without experience and proper equipment, it can be extremely dangerous to handle a raptor (your hand or your eye could end up looking a sight worse than that bird's chest!).  And in any case, a far more likely outcome than you catching the bird would be the bird simply freaking out and flying away.  Definitely call the rehab place if you're willing to, but after that your work is done.

 

My guess is barbed wire fence or somesuch... but who knows?....  Poor guy/gal!

[keetabirdy]

You're absolutely right noahcomet! Sorry that I forgot to mention those details. If you see the bird again and can wait around for someone from the center to drive to the location, it's best to stay where you can see the animal, so that the people from the rehab center don't have to spend time looking for it, in addition to capturing it.