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Birds of Prey Foundation: Raptor Rescue

Although painful, if the wound isn't cleaned properly an infection could lead to the complete loss of the ability to fly.

Although painful, if the wound isn't cleaned properly an infection could lead to the complete loss of the ability to fly.

DOW Officer Kyle Banks in the process of capturing the injured Swainson's Hawk. DOW Officer Banks carefully places the injured hawk in a container for safe travel. Sigrid Ueblacker, founder of the Birds of Prey Foundation, inspects the hawk for the source of the injury. The talons of the Swainson's hawk are a deadly weapon, and key to its success as a hunter, so they must be handled with great care for the protection of both the bird and Sigrid. Although painful, if the wound isn't cleaned properly an infection could lead to the complete loss of the ability to fly. The source of the injury was discovered to be a BB, and must be removed. A tiny BB removed from the hawk's wing. Careful bandaging is needed to prevent the hawk from further injuring itself. Cleaned and bound tight, all this wing needs now is time to heal. Sigrid tenderly holds her patient. The hawk is placed in a temporary cage until he has the strength to be transfered to a larger space with the other hawks under Sigrid's care. One of the many large spaces where recovering hawks are kept at the Birds of Prey Foundation. These spaces provide plenty of room for the birds to spread their wings and fly. A Swainson's hawk stares out into the outside world, waiting for the day he'll be able to join his wild friends. The day has come to remove the bandages and check the progress of the hawks healing. The hawk watches nervously as Sigrid carefully removes his bandages. Sigrid streches his wing to check the injury and to judge the level of stiffnes. A kettle of Swainson's hawks on their annual migration to South America has been spotted near by, which means today is the day to release the rehabilitaed birds. 19 Swainson's hawks (1 per box) are set to be released today. Due to the quantity of birds, and the end to trapost them as stress free as possible, several cars where needed to get them to our final destination. Volunteers release hawks onto farmland near the recently spotted kettle. Due to the days high winds, some of the younger hawks were apprehensive to fly away. A young Swainson's hawk curiosly peers into my camera The Swainson's hawk originally rescued by DOW Officer Kyle Banks soars on his newly repaired wing. The last sight of our Swainson's hawk as he begins his journey to his winter home in South America.