Injured hawk rescued in Lower Pottsgrove expected to make full recovery

LOWER POTTSGROVE >> An injured hawk saved by local residents and authorities is expected to make a full recovery.

On July 12, Lower Pottsgrove officers were called to the 600 block of North Pleasantview Road at around 11 a.m. after a concerned citizen reported that an injured red-tailed hawk was in the middle of the road.

Police Chief Michael Foltz and Detective Dan Kienle responded to the scene. Upon arrival, the officers found various motorists and Township Manager Ed Wagner on scene stopping traffic and working to keep the bird safe. Police said the bystanders were successful in moving the bird off the roadway where Kienle and Foltz were joined by Officer Matthew Musselman.

Officers were able to remove the young bird from the road using the chief’s jacket to subdue the bird.

The hawk was then turned over to Animal Control and transported to the AARK Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center in Chalfont.

“He is recovering nicely. I do expect a full recovery although he is not there yet. He is still in the clinic in care and has not been moved to an outdoor enclosure yet,” said Leah Stallings, executive director of AARK Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center.

Stallings said the bird was suffering from head and body trauma and appeared to be sore on his left side. The hawk did not, however, have any fractures or breaks.

Although Stallings said they can only speculate what caused the bird’s injuries, she said she believes the bird may have been “a little overzealous” when leaving the nest.

“My theory is since he’s young he maybe he got out of the nest early. I think he was marginally flighted when he left and he was hunting as best he could from the ground. I don’t believe he was fully hit by a car because the injuries probably would have been much worse but he may have gotten clipped by a car and injured himself trying to leave the road,” said Stallings.

For now, the hawk is being treated in the facility’s clinic and will eventually move to a larger enclosure with other hawks before being released.

“We move them into a large enclosure and they practice flying, hitting perches and then we release them right from that cage and we do whats call a soft release. We provide food for them for a period of time while they’re getting their way. Birds of prey aren’t lazy. They like to hunt. They tend to go back to where they came from,” said Stallings.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LOWER POTTSGROVE POLICE Lower Pottsgrove Police and area residents helped rescue a red-tailed hawk last week. The bird is expected to make a full recovery.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LOWER POTTSGROVE POLICE Officials at AARK Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center say a red-tailed hawk rescued from Lower Pottsgrove is on his way to recovery.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LOWER POTTSGROVE POLICE Police managed to corral this red-tailed hawk into a cage to transport it to care. The bird was injured on his left side but officials say he will make a full recovery.