Red-shouldered Hawk #17-1097

Admission Date: 
May 23, 2017
Location of Rescue: 
Henrico County
Cause of Admission / Condition: 
Separated from parents
Patient Status: 
Patient Archive

On May 23, a Red-shouldered Hawk baby was transferred to the Center from a small animal hospital after the young bird was separated from its parents.

Upon completion of a physical exam, an eye exam, and radiographs, the veterinary staff determined that hawk #17-1097 was healthy. Surprisingly, the baby bird tested positive for lead; the levels are low enough that it should not affect the bird's prognosis or recovery.

The baby hawk will be placed with Keeya, the Center's surrogate Red-shouldered Hawk, once the bird is eating on its own and completes a dose of medication to prevent aspergillosis -- an infection in the lungs that is common in birds who experience excessive stress. Surrogates serve an important role in wildlife rehabilitation. Keeya will serve as an adult role model for the young bird and help it learn how to behave appropriately as a hawk.

The rehabilitation staff will hand feed hawk #17-1097 until the bird can be transitioned to eating on its own, at which point the bird can be moved out of a crate and into a flight pen with Keeya.

Your special donation will help the Center to provide care to this young hawk … and all of the patients admitted in 2017. Please help!

Updates

August 8, 2017

Red-shouldered Hawk #17-1097 did well at the Center during the summer months. The hawk lived with the Center’s surrogate Red-shouldered Hawk Keeya until mid-July, when the baby was transferred to another facility to begin flight conditioning for release.

As a surrogate, Keeya helped care for several other hawk babies this year. Only one of these remains at the Center – hawk #17-1642 was admitted in late June and spent critical time with Keeya. The hawks were moved to separate flight pens in early August so the rehabilitation staff can exercise the young hawk and prepare the bird for live prey testing and eventual release.

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