Nestling hawks rescued from side of I-75
By Joanna Fitzgerald | Director of the von Arx Wildlife Hospital
Two red-shouldered hawk nestlings were among the 120 patients admitted to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida this past week.
A passerby saw the two red-shouldered hawks on the side of the I 75. Real concern for the young birds’ welfare occurred when the passerby saw the hawks in the same spot on the ground the following day. The hawks’ rescuer spent a lot of time trying to locate help before finally becoming aware of the von Arx Wildlife Hospital.
The two young hawks were quiet and alert when admitted but were clearly not in the best condition; both were underweight with one hawk being slightly larger than its sibling. The smaller of the two hawks had an abrasion on the top of its head and another wound near its right eye that required medication. The larger nestling was weak and unwilling to stand on its own which required pain medication.
Both hawks required supportive care and supplemental feedings. By the second day at the hospital, the hawks were eating on their own. The young hawks were ravenous and highly aggressive when being fed making it necessary for staff to separate them during the day when they were offered food. At night, the young hawks were placed together in a makeshift nest so they can rest with each other overnight.
The juvenile hawks were fortunate they made it through the night on the ground; babies their age are fairly defenseless making them vulnerable to predators.
We’re Here to Help
The immediacy of care is incredibly important for an injured, sick, orphaned or displaced animal.
Please don’t hesitate to call the wildlife hospital at 239–262-CARE as soon as you see an animal in a situation that seems out of the ordinary. Hospital staff is very knowledgeable about normal wildlife behavior and can easily assess a situation to determine if help is needed.
Often times help can be very simple, such as placing a healthy fledgling songbird in a bush or on a low tree branch. Many times the help needed is much more involved, especially if the animal is debilitated.
The sooner an animal receives appropriate, professional care, the increased likelihood it will make a full recovery.
Recent Releases
Ten brown pelicans, two double-crested cormorants, a blue jay, three eastern cottontails, four common grackles, a northern mockingbird, three royal terns, a marsh rabbit and two gopher tortoises were released this past week.
Opportunities to Help
Please visit the Conservancy website at www.conservancy.org and act now to protect native wildlife before it’s too late. Collier County has come to a crossroads and its future hangs in the balance. Without your voice, Collier County is poised to approve new villages that will threaten wildlife and our quality of life.
