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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.
Another Barred Owl Goes Home
11/16/2020
On October 4, 2020, Paul S. saw this owl standing along the side of the road in Huntington, completely soaked. Paul picked up the owl and got it out of the rain, then called the sheriff, who gave him the phone number for our rescue line. Paul wanted the bird to get fast treatment, so he graciously offered to drive it from Huntington to our treatment facility in Huntertown. An examination revealed that the owl was young, and had sustained head trauma. It had blood it its right eye and some possible nerve damage to its right leg. Our ICU staff began treatment immediately, first by giving fluids...Read more
Bye, bye, Barred!
10/30/2020
On October 6, 2020, the hawkphone received a call from the South Bend Animal Shelter about a barred owl. Volunteer Gary Carlson took the bird to our treatment facility, where it appeared to have diminished vision in both eyes. After a week, he started to find food on his own in his enclosure, so he was moved to our rehabilitation facility and after he acclimated he was moved to our flight pen, where he showed us he could find food on his own. On October 30, Bill Oberg brought this little owl back to South Bend, where Gary released him close to where he was found.Read more
A Very Special Release - Great Horned Owl 09232020
10/28/2020
This adult Great Horned Owl has completed its recovery / rehabilitation and was released today very near to where it was picked up. As a special note, this release was sponsored by an individual in memory of Garry and Dawn's Son, ChrisRead more
Another Happy Ending!
10/25/2020
On September 24, 2020, the rescue line received a call from Mike in Churubusco. He had found a screech owl in the middle of a road and appeared dazed. They indicated he flew a little bit but came right back down and they were able to go pick him up. An exam showed a small abrasion in its left eye, which we treated with medication for pain and an antibiotic.Read more
Owl Stuck in Car Grille Goes Home
10/24/2020
On September 7, 2020, the hawkphone received a call from Abby. She said she had hit an owl the night before. She went home, and when she went out to her garage the next morning to go to work, she found a young great horned owl stuck in the grille of her car, still alive! We dispatched Bill Oberg to South Whitley to pick up the owl, and - after a struggle to get the bird out of Abby's grille - Bill brought the youngster to our ICU where, miraculously, he was found to have some neurological issues due to hanging from the grille all night, but otherwise his injuries were minor. Over the next few...Read more
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
