Red-Tailed Hawk Fully Recovered After Being Rescued By SLU Maintenance Worker

09/27/2024

A red-tailed hawk is now soaring through St. Louis again thanks to the quick action of a SLU maintenance worker.

Thursday afternoon a small crowd gathered outside Salus Center to celebrate the release of the hawk. The hawk was able to take flight after spending two months at the World Bird Sanctuary recovering from injuries. 

The injured hawk was rescued this summer by SLU’s Steve Smith. In late July, Smith was working at Allied Health when he got an unusual call – his help was needed for an animal rescue. 

Leslie McClure, Ph.D., the dean of SLU's College for Public Health and Social Justice had spotted the hawk caught and in distress. 

“I saw it out my window,” she said. “I was looking out, and I saw something. I thought it was a plastic bag, but then I noticed it was moving.”

Smith was summoned and went to work.

“They asked me if I could get it, so I came down and got leather gloves and got it out,” Smith said. 

Smith had prior experience with birds having been around chickens, so he knew he needed protection. He said he made sure to grab some leather gloves to make sure his hands were protected from the hawk’s talons.

“It pecked that leather glove a few times, but that was about it,” he said. “I tried to keep my hand to its back as much as I could so it couldn't peck me, but it just got the glove. It never got me.”

Smith said the bird was clearly eager to get free. He said he could tell it was injured and very stuck.

“It wanted out real bad,” he said. “I think it tore tendons in its arm or wing because of that. I think it didn't want me anywhere around it, just like you wouldn't think it would, but it couldn't go anywhere.”

Smith was able to free the hawk. The bird was placed in a cool place in a cardboard box while the World Bird Sanctuary was summoned to complete the rescue. 

Since July, the hawk has been with the Sanctuary recovering from its various injuries. According to the World Bird Sanctuary, the hawk had minor feather damage and injuries to its left wing. 

After 64 days of recovery, the weather was clear on Thursday, and the hawk was released. A crowd of spectators made their way over to a field near the Salus Center to watch the hawk take flight. 

Angela White, a volunteer with the Sanctuary, warned the crowd the release would be quick. She didn’t even have the box fully open before the hawk maneuvered its way out and into the air. The bird took off west making noise and rising in the sky. 

Smith said he was happy to hear that the bird was doing well. McClure said she was thrilled to see the bird healthy. 

“We’re very grateful to the World Bird Sanctuary for helping to rehabilitate the bird and we are just delighted to see it,” McClure said.