Skip to main content

Articles

Four Young Screech Owls Released

Today, Soarin' Hawk released 4 young, orphaned screech owls to the wild at Bicentennial Park in Huntertown. They had been in our care since May, when the trees they lived in were cut down. After watching them mature, then testing them to ensure they could catch live prey, they were ready to go!

(FYI: If possible, try to avoid cutting down both live and dead trees between May and October. Trees provide nesting sites for many kinds of wildlife. You may not see them, but they're there!)

Celebrating Another Release!

On 5/18/20, Bill and Sue found this nesting female redtail perching on a pile of logs, after George called Soaring' Hawk about her being on the ground for awhile. After a challenging rescue, Bill and Sue took her to ICU for evaluation.

There was no obvious injury to this female hawk, but after an exam and an xray by our vet, it was discovered that she had been shot twice by a pellet gun. She was treated for pain and observed to see if she passed the pellets. The DNR was been notified and will investigate.

In early June, she was moved to our rehabilitation facility to begin flight training, and on July 24, 2020, she went back home. 

6 Kestrels Released at Soarin' Hawk's New Facility

Soarin' Hawk "christened" our new facility with the first bird release on the property on July 18, 2020. We took in several young kestrels this year. After they were all tested to be sure they could catch their own food, 6 of them were released, and all flew high to the tree line, where they spent the next several hours discussing their new reality.

RTHA 05312020 Goes Home

This Redtail Hawk (05312020) was picked up on Wilt Street and was believed to have been hit by or flew into a car. He was on the side of the road and moved to a grassy area. Area residents called Ft. Wayne Animal Care & Control. Aiste M., another area resident, called Soarin' Hawk. Kim N. took the bird to ICU and found that there were no apparent fractures; however, there was a small cut to one of toes on his right foot, visual signs of blood in his mouth, evidence of feather mites, and possible vision issues in his right eye. He was given medication for pain, powdered for mites, and given Ivermectin for parasites.

After he recovered from his injuries, he was moved to our rehab facility, where he practiced flying to regain flight strength. Finally, on June 28, he was ready to go home, and Kim N. released him in Swinney Park, with Aiste watching.

Soccer Owl Scores Release

On April 11, the rescue line received a call from a homeowner about an owl that was entangled in her kids' soccer net in their backyard. On arrival, Bill O. found a great horned owl and its intended prey, a rabbit, seriously entangled in the net and unable to escape. Bill cut the owl and the rabbit out of the net and took the owl to Pine Valley Vet. Luckily, Dr. Funnell found no injuries. We kept him under observation for a few days, watched as he practiced flying to be sure his wings were good, then released him on April 16 back where he came from. This is nesting season for great horned owls, so we are very happy we could release him so quickly.

Owls are night hunters, and can't see soccer nets in the dark, so they fly into them when they're chasing their prey. Then they injure themselves trying to escape. This owl was lucky. Many are not. Please, If you have a soccer net in your backyard, or at your school, please take them down at night. Save an owl's… more

This Hawk Has Left the Building!

On December 22, 2019 Soarin' Hawk volunteer Ron S. received a call from the Site Manager at Gene Stratton-Porter Nature Preserve in Rome City, IN. One of the Preserve's volunteers, John L., had found an injured red-tailed hawk hopping on the ground with a possible injured wing. Ron drove to the site, where John had confined the bird under a fishing net. Ron took the bird to our ICU, where volunteers Jillian and Jeanette medicated and hydrated him.

The next day, Dr. Funnell's exam revealed a fractured wing. The wing was immobilized to encourage healing, then the hawk received physical therapy to help him regain full movement. After a little over a month of physical therapy, he was ready to begin practice flying, or "creancing," in which a bird is tethered to prevent it from escaping prematurely, and its flight capability is evaluated after flying a specific distance.

Finally, on March 2, 2020, after almost three months in our care, this… more

Red-Shouldered Hawk Released!

On December 27, 2019, the hawkphone received a call fom Auburn Hills Vet Clinic in Auburn, IN. A concerned citizen had brought an injured juvenile Red-Shouldered Hawk. He said he saw the bird just sitting beside the road so he picked it up and brought it to the vet. We delivered the bird to ICU, where it was discovered that his last meal was a whole bunch of frogs! We also learned that the bird had a long gash on its shoulder, but Dr. Funnell found no other injuries. She sutured the bird's wound, and the bird went back to ICU to recuperate. 

Today, he was released in a beautiful park in Auburn, where there are lots of trees and a big stream where he can find lots of frogs to eat. 

Coop Goes Home

On Nov. 21, 2019, our rescue line received a call from Kim B., who said she was sitting at her desk in an office building on West Jefferson in Fort Wayne, when she heard a loud "THUMP." She went outside, and found a bird sitting on the ground, dazed after having hit the window. She called us, and we advised her to get a box over the bird to protect it, and she did. 

Soarin' Hawk volunteer Bill O. rescued the bird (which was a Cooper's Hawk) and found it was bleeding from its ear and had fluids on its eye. Bill took the Coop directly to Dr. Funnell at Pine Valley Vet, where x-rays showed no broken bones, but its eye was swollen and there was some bleeding from its ear. It was treated with medication for pain and given an anti-inflammatory.

The bird improved, and was transferred to one of our outdoor rehab pens. Because Cooper's Hawks are very nervous birds, our staff felt his recovery might benefit from a quieter environment, so he was taken to… more

Bald Eagle Release! He's Home!

Today, Soarin' Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation released a rehabilitated American Bald Eagle at the Huntertown Family Park in Huntertown, IN.

The eagle was injured in the Huntertown area and saved by Brandt Douglas on October 1, then was treated at Soarin' Hawk's ICU, and recovered at Soarin' Hawk's rehab facility.

Over 100 people braved the windy cold to come and watch the release of our beautiful national bird!

Learn the story of this American Bald Eagle's rescue:   https://youtu.be/Asjnn8i1KNs

watch the release at: https://youtu.be/d-l0atkCy_4

Red-Tailed Hawk 10112019 Goes Back Home

On October 11, 2019 some folks near Jefferson Point called the Soarin' Hawk rescue line to report that a Redtailed Hawk that had been hanging around their house most of the day.  Our rescuers arrived to find the caller had put the bird into a wicker basket and put the basket in their car.  Xrays for this Hawk revealed a pellet in its intestinal tract. We kept the bird under observation until the pellet passed through its intestinal tract. Then after he regained his strength, we began practice flying him. He did well, and on December 5, 2019, he was released where he was found

 

Watch the release here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xQx3HeZ5hG4t5_3ZCyjjYTUZS9roCuYJ/view?…

Young Peregrine Goes Home

On September 25, 2019, Lisa R. called the Soarin' Hawk rescue line about what appeared to be a peregrine falcon sitting in her back yard in Topeka, Indiana. The bird had been there all day, and Lisa was concerned. We dispatched Bill O. to capture the bird, and when he arrived, the bird was sitting on some wood on the side of their shed. When approached, the falcon began running around their yard. The bird fell into the lake a couple of times, then Bill retrieved a large sheet, utilized the folks present as a wall, then waited until the bird tried to climb back on the logs on the other side of a shed, and finally secured him.

Initial evaluation of this very strong and feisty bird was a broken left radius and ulna. After a complete examination by Dr. Funnell, it was discovered that the falcon had been shot. Because falcons are very high-strung, they don't do well in an environment with other birds, so he was moved to an experienced volunteer's home for one-on-… more

Young Great Horned Owl Goes Home

On September 9, 2019, St. Joe Humane Society in Mishawaka received a call about an owl entangled in a soccer net. After they secured the owl, they called the Soarin' Hawk rescue line, and volunteer Gary drove the bird to our ICU. The bird was determined to be a young great horned owl. Luckily, the young owl was not badly injured, so he went to our outdoor rehabilitation facility, where he was housed with Zeus, our educational great horned owl, to help him learn how to be an owl. After a few weeks he was transferred to a pen where it was confirmed that he could catch live prey, then his flight training began. He was a bit hesitant in his flying, so he ended up staying with us a bit longer than we would have liked, but he finally got the hang of it, and was ready to go home. We released him very close to where he was found, with the hope that he will find (or be found by) his parents. Watch his release here:

more

Chimney Screech Goes Home

On November 3, 2019, the Soarin' Hawk rescue line received a call from Katy P. about a little screech owl that had fallen down a chimney in Columbia City. Katy and her husband were very concerned, and - when it was determined that the owl could not be rescued from the roof - they removed their fireplace insert so the owl could be rescued. As soon as the fireplace insert was removed, the owl flew around Katy's living room until he was caught by Soarin' Hawk volunteer Louie, who brought the owl to our ICU. After receiving a clean bill of health from Dr. Pat, and being observed for a couple of days, he was ready to go back home. Watch the release here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wcAXl3QqpVlIo9NGRj8t_jJOqSh7aJOp/view?…

Red-Tailed Hawk 04152019 Has Left the Building!

This juvenile red-tailed hawk was brought to our Immediate Care Unit on the evening of 4/15/19 by a conservation officer. It was assumed that he had suffered a car strike due to the injuries he sustained.  He had a ruptured crop, some blood in his mouth, and only 2 out of his 12 tail feathers. He was thin and quite lethargic, and his right eye was swollen shut. After his crop healed, we had to wait for his tail feathers to grown in, then we began helping him gain flight strength. Finally, om October 10, 2019, he was ready to go home.

Watch the release here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vcVQUFN3xNJDfQuJEA1QqBzBflFkXQJH/view

Red-Tailed Hawk 07162019 Goes Home!

On July 16, 2019, a Soarin' Hawk volunteer got a call from the Allen County sheriff’s department.  She drove out to Arcola Road where she found a male adult red-tailed hawk on the ground . He did not fly away.  She was able to pick him up.  He had been out there all day.  The homeowners thought he would fly away but he never did. IHe was taken to our intensive care facility, where he perched well and was bright alert and responsive, but was very thin. Our veterinarian determined that he had an old wing fracture and puncture wounds, and he began physical therapy on his wing. He responded well to treatment, and after gaining flight strength, he was ready to go back to the wild, so on October 19, 2019, he was released.

Watch the release here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NPaP5ZLe0xVub2PGPW02Jn8k4hR6RehV/view

The Cooper's Have Left the Building

On Sunday, August 4, with the help of Adam and Dick Buchanan, two juvenile Cooper's hawks left the hack box.  They had been fed while living in the box for about two weeks.  Once the gates were open, they took to the skies to live free.

They both were orphans rescued on June 6.  One, among the four from a nest that had blown down during a storm, came to us with a fractured leg and had to stay at the ICU until it healed. Its siblings, having no injuries, were able to be released earlier.  The other orphan was found on the ground from an unknown reason, and was found to have no injuries.  For two months, many volunteers looked after these orphans until they were able to live on their own.  We would like to thank all of those people who called in to let us know a raptor needed help, and all of the volunteers who were a part of their rescue, treatment, and care!

A Very, Very Special Release

  by Susan Hansen & Bill Oberg

On August 7, we got a call around 9:15 am. There was an owl down near the airport. When we arrived we found a baby great horned owl confined in a cardboard box. There was some blood on its beak, and a bit on one talon. The caller, Don, explained that they had been working on a large metal storage building for over a year, and frequently found birds that had gotten in during the night. This morning, though, they found 2 owls, one twice the size of the other. The larger one escaped through an open window. The smaller one tried to follow several times but only managed to hit the wall. When it finally went down they got it outside and into a box. When we arrived at ICU, it was confirmed to be a baby. It was a very feisty bird, and well-fed. On first examination, it appeared to be in good shape.

After a few days under observation in our ICU, and a few test flights, the little one was ready to return to the wild, and - August 7 - we had… more

Rescue of the Month

On July 22, 2019, Soarin' Hawk received a call from Todd S in Wabash, IN. He had employed some workers to close up his barn, and they had found a nest of two young Turkey Vultures in the hay loft of the barn. Because the work being done would make the vulture parents unable to get into the barn to feed them, Todd wanted us to come and get the little ones. Our rescue dispatcher called Lynnanne, our contact with the DNR in that area, and she got in touch with the Conservation Officer. The problem was that there was no Officer available until the next day. Meanwhile, the noisy demolition was proceeding on the barn, with the very frightened babies inside. 

Our dispatcher called Todd to let him know that the Conservation Officer would be there the next day, and that they should not disturb the nest. Too late. Todd informed her that one of the babies had fallen out of the hay loft onto the floor below, and was crouched in a corner of the barn. The other, he said, could not be… more

Red-Tailed Hawk Release #10292018

On Saturday February 23, 2019 this beautiful adult red-tailed hawk was released back to its home territory in Angola, IN after spending the past four months with us recovering from car collision injuries.  Those involved with its rescue were present to watch it head home!

Cooper's Hawk Rescue #01072019

Story via Volunteer Diana Ward:

 

Fort Wayne animal care and control took this Cooper Hawk to Pine Valley for examination by our veterinarian. This Hawk was found at 2600 Broadway in Fort Wayne. It was observed to be sitting on the ground by a sidewalk for an hour. After examination, it was discovered to have a broken collarbone. He will be treated for pain in our treatment facility.

 

Intake Number : #01072019COHA