20221204-Red Tailed Hawk-1

On 12/4, Soarin’Hawk received a call about a RTH caught in a chicken coop and couldn’t figure out how to get out, in Kendallville. The owner of the house wanted it to be caught and released away from her chickens. We retrieved the hawk from the chicken coop and took it several miles down the road to release her. I saw no apparent injuries and the hawk was alert and healthy. However, when we tried to release her, she would not fly. We approached her and she still would not fly. When I approached her again, she got on her back and put her talons up, which is a defensive posture and also one that they do when they are scared. I was able to pick her up easily. I then noticed blood on her cere, and one eye did not seem to be constricting in the sun as much as the other one, so we decided to take her to ICU for observation. Volunteer Pam Triage did not find any significant injuries. There were some abrasions on its cere and forehead. Redi-med was applied to the abrasions until they healed and the bird was released.