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Hawk rescued after being found with wing feathers and tail cut off
A wildlife rehabilitator caring for the injured raptor said it could take two or more years for the feathers to return and give flight.
Authorities are investigating after a red-tailed hawk was discovered in Paxton with its feathers sheared off.
According to Jess Zorge, a wildlife rehabilitator at Raptor Rales Rescue in Shrewsbury, the hawk had the feathers of both wings and tail “maliciously and completely sheared off.”
In a Facebook post Friday, Zorge said that it could take two or more years for the hawk’s feathers to return to normal so it can fly again. She also shared a video showing the bird’s injuries.
“We have reported this sick animal abuse to state and federal agencies,” Zorge wrote. “We have also named him Edward. This type of horrific abuse will take over two years, if not longer to heal. Our hearts break looking at Edward and what he must have felt but he is safe and will receive nothing but the best level of care and true comfort here.”
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In a video addressing the incident, Zorge said a Paxton woman discovered the bird on her property and brought it to the rescue facility. After observing the hawk’s injuries, Zorge notified Paxton police, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Mass. Wildlife, and Environmental Police.
“There’s no way of knowing where the bird came from. It was in great body condition, very clean, but all of these feathers are freshly cut. There’s nothing left to the wings and tail. Which is just sad and horrific to do,” Zorge said.
The same day Edward the hawk was brought in, the facility was assisting Worcester police and animal control with a Cooper’s hawk. That bird was found on a heater after being unintentionally trapped in a basement after a door was left open, according to Zorge. The Cooper’s hawk was exhausted but uninjured.
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Anyone interested in donating toward the raptors’ care can do so via the rescue’s Facebook page.
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