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Releasing rehabilitated birds back in to the wild is an amazing experience! Adult birds are typically released back from the area from which they came. They know the hunting grounds well and may even have a mate waiting for them! Orphans can be released just about anywhere there is suitable habitat for them.
A Triple Release!
09/16/2020
On September 16, 2020, three great horned owl youngsters were released back to the wild in South Whitley, IN. The three came to us as babies, and grew up together. All flew high and away. It was a beautiful sight!Read more
07272020 Red-Tailed Hawk Has Left the Building
08/31/2020
A mass text went out Monday morning to collect a bird that had been found and confined in Goshen, Indiana. I must have had the fastest thumbs texting back that I can leave in 10 minutes. Turns out the route to Goshen was plagued with detours and GPS issues but I located the correct address 1.5 hours later. The bird, an adult Red Tail Hawk, was confined in a cool dark room. He appeared to have injuries to one leg and one wing. This bird came to us very lethargic. An initial exam revealed no injuries. We treated this adult hawk with medication for possible pain and gave it food and fluids.Read more
08192020 Red-Tailed Hawk Flies the Coop!
08/30/2020
On August 19, Soarin’ Hawk received a call from Amy at Black Pines Sanctuary in Albion about a red tailed hawk that had been brought to the sanctuary by a gentleman who had found it on the side of the road. Black Pine was getting ready to close for the day, but Amy kindly consented to wait until our rescuer got there to pick up the bird. When volunteer Vanessa got there to pick up the hawk, Amy commented she was more alert than an hour and half before. We were able to transfer from one carrier to another without incident; she did seem to favor her left leg and would not stand on it. Vanessa...Read more
Young Barred Owl goes Home
08/30/2020
The Snavelys from Wabash County called Soarin Hawk on 6/18/20 to report this Barred Owl on the ground. Upon arrival he was identified as a baby. The Owl was taken to Soarin Hawk’s ICU facility, where he was found to have a right wing fracture at mid-shaft as well as a fractured beak at the tip. The owl was treated and his wing was wrapped to immobilize the fractured area, then was taken to our veterinarian to identify any other problems and decide on a course of treatment.. X-rays revealed a fracture of the radius and ulna, but the vet thought the bones could be pinned to stabilize them. This...Read more
Chicken-Eating Great Horned Owl Released
08/30/2020
Received a call to retrieve a Great Horned Owl in a yard. When we arrived the bird had been confined under a box. When we removed the box ever so carefully, the owl escaped and started to run towards a four lane highway. We looked like the keystone cops running after him to turn him around. He finally turned around and ran back under our car. We chased him out from there and he ran out into the field again. We used the caller to help surround him. John, our caller was able to throw a towel over him and that allowed me to go grab him. We finally were able to put him in a box. Prior to us...Read more
Red-Tailed Hawk 07082020 Returns to Wild
08/26/2020
On July 8, 2020, volunteer Bill Oberg went to Berne at 6:30 am to pick up a Redtail from Adams county Sheriffs office. He met Sheriff Dan, who ushered him into a backroom where they had the hawk in a cat carrier. Someone had found it and called them to pick it up. The bird appeared to have a bad right wing, so he was taken to our ICU for examination.. X-ray showed a fractured right radius. He was treated for pain and given an antibiotic, and his wing was wrapped to stabilize the fracture. Nearly a month later, he was x-rayed again, and his fracture was healed enough to remove the wing wrap...Read more
Baby Barred Owl #2 Goes Home
08/26/2020
On May 2, 2020, volunteer Lana received a call from a relative, saying she had a friend with a baby owl that had been orphaned. Lana drove to Lagrange, IN, where Linda, the property owner, said she watches the owls and keeps track of them. This baby Barred Owl had been on the ground for two days and had not moved more than two feet. Linda had not seen an adult owl for at least two days. When volunteer Louie approached the baby he was met with beak snapping, and it appeared aware of its surroundings. Louie thought the keel was average; Lana thought it was narrow. They collected the owl and...Read more
Four Young Screech Owls Released
08/05/2020
Today, Soarin' Hawk released 4 young, orphaned screech owls to the wild at Bicentennial Park in Huntertown. They had been in our care since May, when the trees they lived in were cut down. After watching them mature, then testing them to ensure they could catch live prey, they were ready to go! (FYI: If possible, try to avoid cutting down both live and dead trees between May and October. Trees provide nesting sites for many kinds of wildlife. You may not see them, but they're there!)Read more
Celebrating Another Release!
07/24/2020
On 5/18/20, Bill and Sue found this nesting female redtail perching on a pile of logs, after George called Soaring' Hawk about her being on the ground for awhile. After a challenging rescue, Bill and Sue took her to ICU for evaluation. There was no obvious injury to this female hawk, but after an exam and an xray by our vet, it was discovered that she had been shot twice by a pellet gun. She was treated for pain and observed to see if she passed the pellets. The DNR was been notified and will investigate. In early June, she was moved to our rehabilitation facility to begin flight training,...Read more
6 Kestrels Released at Soarin' Hawk's New Facility
07/18/2020
Soarin' Hawk "christened" our new facility with the first bird release on the property on July 18, 2020. We took in several young kestrels this year. After they were all tested to be sure they could catch their own food, 6 of them were released, and all flew high to the tree line, where they spent the next several hours discussing their new reality.Read more
RTHA 05312020 Goes Home
06/28/2020
This Redtail Hawk (05312020) was picked up on Wilt Street and was believed to have been hit by or flew into a car. He was on the side of the road and moved to a grassy area. Area residents called Ft. Wayne Animal Care & Control. Aiste M., another area resident, called Soarin' Hawk. Kim N. took the bird to ICU and found that there were no apparent fractures; however, there was a small cut to one of toes on his right foot, visual signs of blood in his mouth, evidence of feather mites, and possible vision issues in his right eye. He was given medication for pain, powdered for mites, and...Read more
Soccer Owl Scores Release
04/16/2020
On April 11, the rescue line received a call from a homeowner about an owl that was entangled in her kids' soccer net in their backyard. On arrival, Bill O. found a great horned owl and its intended prey, a rabbit, seriously entangled in the net and unable to escape. Bill cut the owl and the rabbit out of the net and took the owl to Pine Valley Vet. Luckily, Dr. Funnell found no injuries. We kept him under observation for a few days, watched as he practiced flying to be sure his wings were good, then released him on April 16 back where he came from. This is nesting season for great horned...Read more
This Hawk Has Left the Building!
03/02/2020
On December 22, 2019 Soarin' Hawk volunteer Ron S. received a call from the Site Manager at Gene Stratton-Porter Nature Preserve in Rome City, IN. One of the Preserve's volunteers, John L., had found an injured red-tailed hawk hopping on the ground with a possible injured wing. Ron drove to the site, where John had confined the bird under a fishing net. Ron took the bird to our ICU, where volunteers Jillian and Jeanette medicated and hydrated him. The next day, Dr. Funnell's exam revealed a fractured wing. The wing was immobilized to encourage healing, then the hawk received physical therapy...Read more
Red-Shouldered Hawk Released!
01/15/2020
On December 27, 2019, the hawkphone received a call fom Auburn Hills Vet Clinic in Auburn, IN. A concerned citizen had brought an injured juvenile Red-Shouldered Hawk. He said he saw the bird just sitting beside the road so he picked it up and brought it to the vet. We delivered the bird to ICU, where it was discovered that his last meal was a whole bunch of frogs! We also learned that the bird had a long gash on its shoulder, but Dr. Funnell found no other injuries. She sutured the bird's wound, and the bird went back to ICU to recuperate. Today, he was released in a beautiful park in Auburn...Read more
Coop Goes Home
12/27/2019
On Nov. 21, 2019, our rescue line received a call from Kim B., who said she was sitting at her desk in an office building on West Jefferson in Fort Wayne, when she heard a loud "THUMP." She went outside, and found a bird sitting on the ground, dazed after having hit the window. She called us, and we advised her to get a box over the bird to protect it, and she did. Soarin' Hawk volunteer Bill O. rescued the bird (which was a Cooper's Hawk) and found it was bleeding from its ear and had fluids on its eye. Bill took the Coop directly to Dr. Funnell at Pine Valley Vet, where x-rays showed no...Read more
