Yesterday afternoon Jason Bratkovich took time out of his day to help an injured raptor on Pitt’s campus.
Around 3pm he found this bird, gravely injured but still breathing, near the Bellefield Avenue sidewalk at Heinz Chapel.
What kind of bird is it? Everyone knows that peregrine falcons live on campus and this certainly resembles a falcon so Jason asked for help for a downed falcon on the PittPeregrines Facebook page (Peter Bell) and he called Pitt Police. Good job!
Pitt Police know what to do for downed peregrines. They guarded the bird and called Animal Control to come pick it up for medical attention.
Word spread across campus that a peregrine was down. Phil Hieber of Facilities Management (long time peregrine partner) called to let me know. I wasn’t nearby so I called others on campus to check it out. Meanwhile, John Butchko was on the scene and texted a photo to Pittsburgh Falconuts admin Kim Getz. Kim texted me with the photo and the bird’s identity.
The photo is excellent! The raptor is an immature red-tailed hawk. My guess is that it flew low over Bellefield Avenue and was hit by a car. Animal Control picked it up shortly after John texted the photo.
Whew! Sad as this bird’s situation is, we were all relieved to find out it’s not a peregrine.
Thanks to Jason Bratkovich, Pitt Police, Phil Hieber, John Butchko, Kim Getz, Peter Bell, and everyone at the University of Pittsburgh who keeps an eye out for the peregrines.
What to do if you find a downed raptor on Pitt’s campus:
#1. Take a picture. A photo of the downed bird is the quickest way to assess the situation and identify the raptor before help arrives.
#2. Call Pitt Police: 412-624-2121
#3. Post the photo of the bird and describe the situation at PittPeregrines Facebook page and /or
Post a comment anywhere on my blog with the situation + your cell number. I will call you back so that you can text me the photo. (NOTE: I will not “approve” the comment so your phone number will be seen only by me.)
Do you need tips on telling the difference between a hawk and a falcon? Click on the photo below for a helpful article: Falcon or Hawk?
(photo of downed red-tailed hawk by Jason Bratkovich)
Kate, this is so sad. Will we ever know how it is doing? Hoping for the best for this bird. Merry Christmas.
Janet, I don’t know about the bird’s status but my guess — based on a zoomed look at the photo — is that it was not long for this world. Under those circumstances a peaceful death would be a blessing for it.
Red-Tailed Hawks need love too!
When I was a child I never saw a raptor of any kind. After we moved to the country in 1973, it was always a rare and exciting event. The first raptor I remember identifying was an American Kestrel (never see those at all any more – habitat change).
Hawks are now frequent visitors to my yard (and my birdfeeders). Hey, hawks are birds too 😀 . Thank you, Rachel Carson.