Injured Hawks Fly Again, Return To Wild Following Help From Monterey County SPCA
MONTEREY COUNTY (BCN) – Two hawks found injured in December are flying free again, thanks to new tail feathers provided by the wildlife center for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for Monterey County.
Both red-tailed hawks were found with broken tail feathers and with parasites, one on Dec. 24 in Tres Pinos and the other Dec. 26 in King City.
Center staff treated the hawks for their injuries and prepared them for imping, the name of the procedure to replace their tail feathers from donor hawks so they could fly and thrive in the wild again.
On Jan. 25, staff imped both raptors' broken tail feathers.
A news release from the center described the procedure: "Small dowel rods were carefully inserted into the broken feather shaft, the donor feathers were cut to size, and everything was safely secured with epoxy. One bird received 10 new tail feathers and the other received seven. This procedure allows the bird to fly and have a functioning tail until she naturally molts new feathers in. Wing molt often begins in late April or early May, with tail molt beginning after the wings, usually June through August."
Center staff released one bird on Jan. 28 and the other two days later.
The center rescues more than 2,500 injured or orphaned wild animals every year, efforts made possible by donations.
For more information about the center, people can visit www.SPCAmc.org. To report injured, sick, or orphaned wildlife in Monterey County, they should call (831) 264-5427.
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