UPDATE: Injured Red-tailed hawk

Jul 1, 2025 6:04 PM

Wanted to share an update on the hawk that was brought to me. He safely made it to Auburn and has wonderful specialists taking care of him, but the report I received made my blood boil.

Apparently he was shot with a shotgun which fractured his wing. Luckily the pellet is not still there so he just needs to rest and recover. This isn't the first and sadly, won't be the last that this happens. People around here will shoot first and not ask any questions. I see so many posts and comments about shooting birds of prey that it honestly depresses me.

If you would like to donate to the Auburn Raptor Center, feel free to follow this link: https://www.vetmed.auburn.edu/raptor/

falconry

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The bird was hit by a shotgun not a pellet gun

3 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

People do indeed suck.

3 months ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Tobias! No!

3 months ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 1

he'll be fine, he just needs to morph and demorph

3 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

The report says it was a shotgun pellet, not a pellet gun. So, a hunter probably taking a pot shot. Not a kid being bad. And adult being even worse. Just speculation, of course.

3 months ago | Likes 22 Dislikes 0

Correct, when. I got the call I just heard pellet. Sad part was it was in a residential area. ;-;

3 months ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

I wish I lived nearby, I would post up in a gillie suit and a months supply of electrolytes, for the plants of course. Soon they would learn neutons law of opposing reaction as I shoot them in the head with a bb

3 months ago | Likes 18 Dislikes 0

Ugggg, this makes my blood boil and I don't even know the hawk. At least bird bones feel pretty fast if set right (compared to mammals)

3 months ago | Likes 25 Dislikes 0

Might have been some dipshit kid with a pellet gun and not enough sense, or my second guess would be some small game hunters who blame raptors for their inability to catch any rabbits.

3 months ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

God people, especially ones with shotguns SUCK

3 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Yup. We've passed along all info to the proper channels. At least it wasn't an arrow this time.

3 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

No respect for other creatures. Assholes

3 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Thank you for the update. People do, indeed, SUCK. But then there’s people like you who restore our faith in humanity 😊

3 months ago | Likes 14 Dislikes 0

Thanks for sharing this update, @OP! Happy to hear the hawk is being taken care of. Boo on the BB gun shooter.

3 months ago | Likes 61 Dislikes 2

Don't think it's a BB gun. Shotguns have a spread, and it's possible the bird got winged by an outlying pellet from the spread. Good thing the guy was such a bad shot!

3 months ago | Likes 14 Dislikes 1

This is what I read, shotgun pellet

3 months ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

Absolutely! I look forward to the day we get to release him. Till that day, we'll keep rescuing those that we can. :D

3 months ago | Likes 23 Dislikes 0

I thought Auburn were the Tigers. It’s Miami of Ohio that are the Red Hawks.

3 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

Hah! Auburn also has the War Eagle. ;D

3 months ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Don’t they wave third mascot too? I was always confused by the multiple mascots…

3 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Wouldnt this be a bird of predator, not prey?

3 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

"bird of prey" refers to a bird that preys on other animals.

3 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

That's.. so bizarre

3 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

It's quite an old term as far as I know. Probably used to make more sense.

3 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0