TRURO, Mass.—A red-tailed hawk who had suffered injuries after crashing through a chicken coop window in Orleans was released April 18 in the Fort Hill area of the Cape Cod National Seashore in Eastham after successful rehabilitation efforts by Cape Wildlife Center staff. The immature female raptor was brought to the Cape Wildlife Center in West Barnstable last month by the Massachusetts Environmental Police. The center's student extern Nicole Heln and seasonal staff member Courtney Grundmayer oversaw the bird's release.
Dr. Catherine Brown, staff veterinarian, examined the hawk and found that in addition to having blood over her right eye and on her chest, she was mildly lame from a wound on her left foot and slightly emaciated. After the hawk had spent four days in the clinic recovering, she was moved to an outdoor aviary and eventually to a large raptor flight pen. Judy Ellal, a certified veterinary technician and wildlife rehabilitator, decided the hawk was ready for release when she was eating and flying well.
Sadly, window strikes are very common. In fact, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that more birds die because of collisions with glass than any other human-related cause of mortality. The death toll may range anywhere from 100 million to 1 billion birds per year. People can make their homes and out buildings safer for birds by following these tips:
Make glass visible by placing plants and other visual obstructions inside or dangling mylar ribbons from the top of the glass outside. Or, visit www.flap.org to locate a distributor of CollidEscape, a one-way film that preserves the view from inside but appears solid to birds outside.
Don't attract birds to glass windows. Place feeders away from hazards like glass.
Encourage large buildings to turn off the lights at night to reduce bird deaths during migration.
A program of The Humane Society of the United States, the Cape Wildlife Center treats nearly 2,000 injured, orphaned, or ill wild animals each year, advocates for the humane treatment of wildlife, and provides educational programs for community organizations. The non-profit center also publishes a quarterly newsletter and brochures about living with wildlife. To learn more about the Cape Wildlife Center, call 508-362-0111 or visit www.capewildlife.org.
