Cooper's Hawk in Kroger?! (wildlife rescue!)
Cooper's Hawk loose in your local Kroger? It's more likely than you think. We got a call about a juvenile Cooper's Hawk stuck in Kroger on Brambleton (just down the road from the Center!) a week ago and we went to go check out the situatuon. Thankfully, employees from Safe Haven Avian Group were already present and skillfully captured the bird — but we were concerned about the bird's eyes after we watched it collide with a window prior to capture and asked if we could check her out. At the Center, it was discovered that while the bird was physically generally unharmed, the bird was suffering from high levels of lead poisoning! After a round of treatment we tested the bird again and she was lead-free — so we released her on our property, which is just a short flight's distance from Kroger. It can take a team effort to rescue wildlife and we're glad there are people from all walks of life out there with the goal of helping wildlife out of sticky situations. Collaboration is key to any conservation effort!