Fully Flighted Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk for Gloved or Static Display

Home / Bulletin Board / Fully Flighted Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk for Gloved or Static Display

Click to enlarge image.

Contact Information
Contact Kira Klebe
Phone: 7195107806
Visit Website

Country: United States

Species: Red-tailed Hawk

Is rehabilitation complete?: yes

This animal has potential as a :

off-site education animal
static display animal

This animal is: wild reared

Age: Juvenile

Reason for entering rehabilitation.:

Red-tailed Hawk presented to World Bird Sanctuary's Rehabilitation Hospital on 8/6/25 with symptoms consistent with West Nile Virus including retinitis, neurological blindness, ataxia, head tremors, general lethargy and weakness, and intermittent awareness of surroundings. Vision and balance have both returned to normal but patient still shows cognitive abnormalities that make them unsuitable for release to the wild. Patient has no fear response to human presence and allows humans to approach and touch them without moving away. Will approach humans to get food that is near them and then eat without any concern of someone standing immediately next to them. Still seems to sometimes forget surroundings or what is currently doing.

Days in care: 90

Issues developed while undergoing rehabilitation.:

N/A

Body condition score (5 point scale as defined on https://nagonline.net/3877/body-condition-scoring/): 3

Can the animal express species-typical behaviors (e.g. eat appropriate whole foods, climb, perch, groom, dig, fly, swim, ambulate normally for species)?:

Yes. Patient is able to tear whole food pieces including rabbit and large rat skulls, is fully flighted, is able to perch and balance normally, and preens normally.

Can the animal be handled without negative welfare affects?: yes

This is how the animal currently reacts when a frequent caregiver nears it (e.g. does it modify behavior, show signs of fear, agonism, habituation):

Hawk is very food motivated and has learned daily dare routine. Comes to food platform immediately when hears someone enter the catch. Occasionally comes to meet people at door in an attempt to get food. Will allow caregiver to approach and touch wings while eats food with no apparent reaction to presence. Will follow caregiver around during cleaning by flying to perch nearest to them to watch and wait for food. Has shown that is willing to step up onto a glove for food, but we are not currently working to train the bird.

This is how the animal currently reacts when a stranger nears it (e.g. does it modify behavior, show signs of fear, agonism, habituation):

Shows no difference in behavior for different caregivers regardless of if they are familiar or if it is someone feeding for the first time. Behavior does not change if multiple people enter the mew to watch bird during cleaning and feeding.

This animal is currently house : alone

Will the animal need continuous medical care (e.g. medication)?: no

Physical health welfare assessment: good life

Mental/emotional health welfare assessment: good life

More Information

We believe this patient is suitable for glove training or static display. Despite being fully flighted, this bird is most likely not suitable for flight shows due to ongoing cognitive and attention deficits. Once placement is found, we are willing to do some training of the animal here while necessary paperwork is processed in order to facilitate a quicker transition to working for the bird. Any training done would be at the direction of the receiving facility.

This Ad has been viewed 51 times.