Andy Stevenson releases the red-tailed hawk. (Photo by Sherry Larson)
Another bird of prey rescued in Adams County
From left, firefighters Scout Kremin and Michael Burns, Gina Stevenson from Raptor, firefighter Jace White, Christy Piatt (woman who reported the injured bird), Fire Chief Mike Estep, and Andy Stevenson from Raptor. (Photo by Sherry Larson)
By Sherry Larson
People’s Defender
A Red-Tailed Hawk got a second chance to fly because a team of Peebles firefighters saved him. The hawk was the second bird rescued, rehabilitated, and released in Adams County in the past month (see Tom Cross’s article “Owl Gets a New Lease on Life in Adams County” in the February 14 Defender).
The Red-Tailed Hawk is a bird of prey that breeds throughout most of North America. The rRed-Tailed Hawk favors open woodland, woodland edge, and open terrain habitats. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act protects it in Canada, Mexico, and the United States (Wikipedia).
Christy Piatt often feeds stray cats on Hull Road. On January 31, she noticed the hawk hanging by the tip of his wing from tangled vines high up in a tree. Rescuers deduced that he had been hanging there for several hours. Peebles Fire Chief Mike Estep took the call from Piatt on the non-emergency line and told his men to evaluate the situation and see if they could make the rescue. Firefighter Jace White climbed a 30-foot ladder to retrieve the hawk, who fell to the ground once he was released. White said he wasn’t afraid of going up the giant ladder to make the rescue.
Andy and Gina Stevenson of Raptor Inc., a non-profit dedicated to preserving raptors in Milford, Ohio, picked up the hawk after the rescue. The bird of prey was taken to Raptor Inc. for rehabilitation. Stevenson said the non-profit checked out the injured bird, weighed him, and ensured nothing was broken. They fed and hydrated the hawk and placed him in a 40-foot fly cage for a couple of weeks. Stevenson said of the bird, “He was in pretty good shape.” The organization banded the hawk. Stevenson explained that sometimes the birds are rescued a second time, and even if the hawk is found deceased at some point, they can determine how long he lived. For more information about Raptor Inc. or to report an injured bird of prey, visit www.raptorinc.org or call (513) 825-3325.
On February 13, the Stevensons returned the hawk to Hull Road in Peebles. Chief Estep and firefighters Jace White, Ryan Wesley, Scout Kremin, Michael Burns, and Piatt gathered to observe the hawk’s release. Stevenson explained that the birds are territorial and it’s best to release them near where they were rescued.
Stevenson prepared the box carrying the hawk for its release. He said it would happen quickly, so observers were ready to take photos and videos of the release. Seconds later, the majestic red-tailed hawk stepped out from under the box and promptly flew into the trees and sky, seemingly unscathed from his injury. Thanks to the first responders of Peebles Fire Department for saving this bird of prey. Gina Stevenson said, “Every success story is a good one.”
