What to do with a Baby Hawk?

[boxst]

We came home last night and found a baby hawk hopping around our front garden. It didn't want to go anywhere, so we fed it some raw beef and thought that was it. It hopped off after being fed. This morning it was under the car, so I guess it didn't find it's nest / Mother.

Video here: http://www.sadandlonely.com/IMG_2275.MOV

Any idea what we should do? It's quite safe (no cats), but I'm worried that if we don't feed it until it can fly something will happen.

Steve

[HTP99]

I guess the RSPB, however that is pretty cool.

[isaldiri]

It's a young kestrel. Probably got grounded after fledging. Just put it up as high as you can on your house (I assume you don't know where the nest is) and hopefully after a while it'll figure out the flight thing properly.

Edit - or if it's tricky to collect someone like the rspb or hawk and owl trust might be able to provide some options for someone to release the little critter back where it belongs hopefully.

Edited by isaldiri on Friday 5th July 10:44

[moorx]

I don't know of anywhere nearer to you, but these people are real experts in rehabilitating wildlife:

https://www.wildlifeaid.org.uk/

[Nezquick]

Adopt it as your own, train it to be vicious with strangers and the postman - kind of a guard kestrel. Get some signs made for your door saying "Beware of Angry Bird" - people may think you're being funny and/or unkind about your mrs but you'll know the truth and can set your kestrel on them if they give you grief about it.

[Bear-n]

This is too good for wonky pictures. He is awesome! Keep us updated please

[CAPP0]

1. Sign up to Youtube
2. Write a meaningless and irritatingly-catchy song. Something like "Baaaaby Hawk do do do-do do-do"
3. Publish a video of you, the missus and the hawk singing
4. Get a slot on the One Show to talk about it
5. Decide what to spend all the money on


On a more serious note, I'd take advice from a hawk conservation place. Don't bother with the RSPCA. I've had too many experiences with them of trying to help wildlife and they either say PFO, or they mock and ridicule you for interfering.

[Brads67]

Watch Kes the movie to learn what to do and then keep it away from your brother.

[Boosted LS1]

Extend it's wings to see if it has flight feathers and if so put it somewhere high up as previously suggested. A falconry centre, hawk rescue etc are certainly worth a call also. Defo not the rspca.

[isaldiri]

Boosted LS1 said:

Extend it's wings to see if it has flight feathers .

It will have. That juvenile has little bits of down fluff left on it's head but looks fully feathered. Probably just a fledging gone awry (happens surprisingly often with young raptors), with a bit of luck/height should be able to rejoin it's parents. Kestrels are pretty noisy around the nest so if the OP can see/hear them around might even see where the nest is.

[S6PNJ]

Whilst it's not near you, give the International Centre for Birds of Prey (ICBP) a call? https://www.icbp.org/ They are just down the road from me in Gloucestershire and might be able to give some advice to you.

[mikees]

I had the same and called these guys and they came and got the little chap.

https://www.hawk-conservancy.org/

[Sy1441]

Nezquick said:

Adopt it as your own, train it to be vicious with strangers and the postman - kind of a guard kestrel. Get some signs made for your door saying "Beware of Angry Bird" - people may think you're being funny and/or unkind about your mrs but you'll know the truth and can set your kestrel on them if they give you grief about it.

This.

[Squadrone Rosso]

Read the book / watch the film Kes

[hyphen]

Sy1441 said:

Nezquick said:

Adopt it as your own, train it to be vicious with strangers and the postman - kind of a guard kestrel. Get some signs made for your door saying "Beware of Angry Bird" - people may think you're being funny and/or unkind about your mrs but you'll know the truth and can set your kestrel on them if they give you grief about it.

This.

Yup, this

[boxst]

Thank you for all the advice. I’m going to wait with the signs.

Well ...... I called a couple of places and they said see if it flies in the next day or two. It slept in a cubby hole last night and I fed it this morning. It decided it would quite like to use me to try and launch itself to fly. It managed a couple of meters so it’s getting there.






Edit: Slowly getting it to fly further: http://www.sadandlonely.com/IMG_2294.TRIM.MOV

Edited by boxst on Saturday 6th July 10:23

[Japveesix]

This is ace, I'm quite envious. Keep feeding it up and perhaps teach it how to fly by throwing yourself off a high building or a bridge.

And keep us updated.

[Bear-n]

YouTube link of the vid (OP, please let me know if you want me to remove any pics or videos)

https://youtu.be/Fz7pWKeoFhM

[boxst]

Getting silly now. It flew away and brought back a friend.

[Ashtray83]

boxst said:

Getting silly now. It flew away and brought back a friend.

Hahaha this is brilliant “you should come and try this amazing steak house up the road bro”

Edited by Ashtray83 on Saturday 6th July 17:04