We started the year with urgent calls from the Tenderloin in San Francisco.
Tenderloin residents and police officers alike found themselves falling in love with a magnificent bird who needed their help. On Jan 23rd, officers from the Tenderloin Police Station worked together with local residents to help a juvenile red tail hawk who had crash-landed at Taylor and Eddy. With help from the residents, officers were able to drive the hawk to our San Francisco intake center in the middle of the night. The officers recounted how residents had come together to protect the bird, even offering the carnivore bread from the corner store (it’s the thought that counts). One local had bravely and safely placed the bird in an appropriately sized cardboard box for the officers! The hawk was affectionately named Eddy by both SFPD and local residents involved in the rescue.
It is important for birds to not damage their feathers during capture, restraint, and captivity, as this can seriously delay or forestall their release. Eddy spent the night resting on a perch, after receiving subcutaneous rehydration fluids. The next morning, Eddy was transferred to Peninsula Humane Society in Burlingame. PHS has rooftop aviaries to provide the specialized care that hawks and other large birds need in order to be rehabilitated.
Turns out, after a news article about Eddy, the general public had fallen in love with him too! Yggdrasil was flooded with inquiries on Facebook about the bird. PHS confirmed our diagnosis of head trauma from hitting a window, and let us know that Eddy was actually a female (Edwina) and had recovered enough to be placed in one of PHS’s outdoor aviaries to practice flight. We are thrilled by the positive outcome and how fiercely this bird brought together a community not always associated with love and compassion.
Special Thanks to Sylvie for her great work doing emergency intake! And to our Transport Team for getting help for Edwina in the middle of the night and the next day!
Here are just a few photos of the 721 animals we rescued, rehabilitated and released in 2022:
