By TellingPointy Editorial Board
Too Heavy to Lift Off
A red-shouldered hawk in Virginia had to be rescued after she couldn’t get off the ground because she had eaten too much chicken, NewsNation reported. The bird was found sitting in a driveway approximately a mile away from the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke.
Medical Screening Eliminates Injuries
Before discovering the root cause of her immobility, center staff put the hawk through a thorough medical screening. They checked the bird for lead poisoning, broken bones, eye problems, and other common injuries that typically prevent raptors from taking flight. Finding none of the usual signs, personnel weighed the animal and discovered she tipped the scales at about 2 pounds.
Extreme Obesity Discovery
The hawk carried so much body fat that staff could not feel her keel, which is the ridge of the breastbone wildlife rehabilitators normally check to assess a bird’s physical condition. An update from the center summed up her condition plainly, noting that she was “too darn fat to fly.”
Tracing the Source to Backyard Chickens
Wild animals rarely become obese in their natural habitats, prompting staff to investigate potential human-related causes for the bird’s condition. Center personnel asked the woman who found the hawk whether any nearby residents kept free-roaming chickens. A few weeks later, the resident called back with an explanation: her neighbors’ chickens had been vanishing at a rapid rate.
The Daily Routine Near Roanoke
The Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke believes the hawk discovered an accessible food supply and settled down close by. Every morning, when the chickens were let out, the hawk would swoop down, catch one, and then rest in nearby trees until she felt hungry again.
Center Staff Advise Public Against Feeding Wildlife
Following the rescue, center staff advised the public against feeding wildlife, either intentionally or unintentionally. For poultry owners, that recommendation means keeping birds safely secured in covered runs to prevent easy predation.
