Whatbird.com

  Ok...we have a baby hawk...it cannot fly..no mother came to get it and there are barn cats running around...we have been feeding him..we have a cage for him but leave it open and he has been coming and going..he can flap up the tree alittle and then climb up to sit.  We called the Game comission who was supposed to contact someone local to get ahold of us..but its been a week and nothing...anyways we dont know why type of hawk it is either ..but since hes so young I dont know if you can tell, but thanks for any info you can give me...

OMG..i didnt realize the pic would be so huge...sorry!!!

Its a baby kestrel. It might be perfectly fine to just leave alone - a lot of times people think a bird needs help when really its just learning to fly and will figure things out on its own. But if you really think it is in danger then get it to a rehabber asap. The fish and game office usually has a list of rehabbers, or at least it does in my state. Good luck!

Looks like a Kestrel to me... 

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Did they get you to trade, your hero's for ghosts?

Please don't try to rehab yourself, these birds are protected, especially a bird of prey.

ellie87:

Its a baby kestrel. It might be perfectly fine to just leave alone - a lot of times people think a bird needs help when really its just learning to fly and will figure things out on its own. But if you really think it is in danger then get it to a rehabber asap. The fish and game office usually has a list of rehabbers, or at least it does in my state. Good luck!

I agree with you. Leave it alone and it will be fine - many people take baby birds in thinking they need a rehabber when all they need is to be left alone...and learn how to fend for themselves. The parents of the bird usually kicks the baby bird out of the nest at a really young age to get it to figure out how to fend for itself, its the way mother nature intened it. Ohh and just as a side note, it is ilegal to keep a bird especially a bird of prey.

BTW: I agree with baby Kestrel.
 

Mousebird, Raptor and many other posters before, you guys are unfairly hostel! Sunshine is obviously looking for someone to rehab this bird as they clearly stated in their post, spare them and us the same "it is illegal to rehab a bird yourself" lecture!!!! If I was unaware keeping a bird like this is illegal and received the threatening posts that many of you write I would be offended. People like this are trying to help. Please try to be nicer and provide them with only useful information.

Sunshine - where are you located?  I might have missed that bit of info, and am disappointed that no one asked you that specifically but instead jumped straight to the "it's illegal/find a rehabber" lecture.  After all, you did state clearly you contacted the Game Commission and were expecting them to get you in contact with a local resource, but you never heard anything from them.  And clearly you were watching for a parent bird to care for the baby, and were concerned about its inability to avoid the barn cats since it can't fly!  Not sure how people missed all of that!

But perhaps instead of folks telling you ad nauseum what you already know, those who are local to you could help you get past the non-responsive agencies you've contacted and help you get in touch with a wildlife rehab center.  So let us know where you are, and maybe some folks with some connections from nature centers to zoos and vets can help make enough noise to get you in contact with someone who can help with this youngster.  Good luck, and my regrets for the lack of help to this point.

Hey I was only trying to offer advice. You can be heavily fined if you are caught with a protected bird and trying to rehab it without a license.

Alot of people don't know this. Geez, just trying to save the guy some frustration.....

I agree, American Kestrel. Pleases don't touch it too much, but just watch it if you can to see if its parents are around. You do need a license, especially if it is a protected species or raptor.

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ZBirdNerd

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  Lol...its ok...but lets see...we dont have the bird in a cage..we had a cage he got out of..and he climbs into this small tree by the house and comes to the porch for food and water.  He is doing great and I posted a message in the main Pennsylvania (ps..thats where I am) birding orginazation or whatever it was and a local officer called me today...I dont know if hes going to come get him..he said since hes in the tree and eating he might be fine...who knows...but I will continue to put some meat out for him as long as he stays...game commision officer said feeding him wont affect his ability to catch food on his own....so now I feel better...but thanks for your help...and pointing out some of the things I did post ...lol...but hey...thanks to everyone for helping me identify it too!

So cute!  glad you two are watching out for it.  Hope it makes it!

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Matthew 6:26
James 1:2-5

WotsiFish:

Mousebird, Raptor and many other posters before, you guys are unfairly hostel! Sunshine is obviously looking for someone to rehab this bird as they clearly stated in their post, spare them and us the same "it is illegal to rehab a bird yourself" lecture!!!! If I was unaware keeping a bird like this is illegal and received the threatening posts that many of you write I would be offended. People like this are trying to help. Please try to be nicer and provide them with only useful information.

I agree here....

 The person who finds the animal/bird IS the first line "rehabilitator". It has to get to the "hospital" because someone found the bird and gets it there. It is a team effort between all.

I once sat for over 5 hours with a bird with a broken back 'cause I had to wait for a rehabber to become available and they didn't seem to be in such a hurry to collect it. I would not leave it. I drove it there not the other way around.

Also anytime I brought a critter to the rehabber (called first in most cases), I was given instructions on how to care for it in the meantime. As it turns out Sunshine was given permission to care for the birds until release.....so there is practicality, flexiblility and adaptability in this whole process.

The "black and white, it's the law" thinkers is only part of the picture and not the only info to be delivered. Gotta life and death situation for a critter, not the immediate importance of a law. The "bird cop" tone ought to be lightened imo and especially for newcomers posting and asking for help. Imo, s/he should be receiving lots of encouragement and support for caring and the willingness to help.

I do realize everyone cares...just perhaps express differently....

And yet Sunshine....this one is an awesome thing you are doing.......I am impressed, fascinated and excited about what you are doing there.....

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* laughs like crow, soars like eagle with vision of hawk, haunts like loon & lulls like nuthatch ....tickle tickle, feather has most powerful medicine of all...makes you laugh *