A hawk in Pond Eddy

ANYA TIKKA
Posted 8/21/12

POND EDDY, NY — When a passerby saw an immature red-tailed hawk on the side of Hollow Road in Pond Eddy, she got out of the car to get a closer look at the bird, which didn’t appear to have any …

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A hawk in Pond Eddy

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POND EDDY, NY — When a passerby saw an immature red-tailed hawk on the side of Hollow Road in Pond Eddy, she got out of the car to get a closer look at the bird, which didn’t appear to have any visible injuries, but was inactive and unable to fly. She picked the bird up, wrapped it in a blanket, and brought it home.

“I just couldn’t leave him there,” Janet Castellano explained when she brought it to a neighbor’s house in order to call for animal rescue help because she couldn’t take the bird to her house due to her cats.

After local constable phone calls were only available for messages, 911 was called, but Castellano was advised nothing could be done immediately. She was told she should call the Department of Environmental Protection. She’d already done that, and nobody was going to come until after Sunday—this was on Saturday.

After a Google search for wildlife rescue in the area, about 10 of the people listed either didn’t answer, their phone was out of service, or they were otherwise not available, and Castellano started to worry about the state of the bird, whose eyes were rolling and who didn’t appear to be very alert. “I tried to give him water before, but it wouldn’t take it,” she said.

Finally, Castellano called a number that a recorded message on the Bethel Animal Control phone number gave to call in emergencies. When Ed Richards first answered the phone, he thought it would be best to call the police, but when he learned they weren’t available, he said he’d make phone calls and get back.

While waiting, an officer from the Lumberland constables pulled up. He’d been alerted by the sheriff’s department after the 911 call. He also thought that not much could be done immediately, but suggested trying to give water to the hawk again. Meanwhile, he called for assistance from a wildlife rescuer in the area, and was advised that there were many red-tailed hawks in the same position this year.

After Castellano gently dipped the hawk’s beak in a water bowl several times so it was forced to swallow, it started to perk up visibly, lifting its torso, and eventually stretching to spread its wings.

Castellano was not afraid to handle the large, although still not fully grown raptor with sharp, large talons and a huge beak while it was sitting on her bare arm. She was gently stroking the hawk during the whole time. “I couldn’t just leave him there, he was clinging to my side,” she explained, “and he wouldn’t hurt you when he knows you’ve helped him.”

After a few moments, the red-tailed hawk recovered, apparently unharmed, and took off flying toward the river just below the ridge off Berm and Church Road.

When Richards called back, the hawk had already flown away. However, he explained many red-tailed hawks were suffering and many were found in the same condition because they didn’t have enough food this year, and that the coyotes got to most of the food this year. Both animals feed on the same small mammals.

The constable said the sheriff’s office could be called in case of other wildlife rescue issues and they would reach out to helpers.

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