The Tucson Wildlife Center has received thousands of calls about young Cooper's Hawks who jumped from their nests to escape the excessive heat before they could fly. The center said it has been getting about 550 calls per day about these young hawks people are finding on the ground.
More than 200 young Cooper's Hawks have been treated at the Tucson Wildlife Center's hospital in just the last few days, and they normally rescue less than 100 per year.
Some of the hawks have been treated and released, but many are being are being treated for injuries like fractured legs and wings from jumping out of their nests or from heat-related conditions.
Most of the young birds will survive without human intervention, but if you find a young hawk and it looks distressed, here's what you can do:
If the bird has brown feathers, that means it's older, so the Tucson Wildlife Center says it may be best to leave those birds on their own.
If the fledgling has fluffier white feathers, it most likely needs help, so you can create a makeshift nest with a shoebox and some leaves inside. Then, place the bird in the nest, and move it into the shade. Or you can move the bird into shade with a shallow bowl of water so it can cool down.
The wildlife center says it's important to not take these animals indoors. Usually the mother hawk is watching from nearby, so the wildlife center says intervene as little as possible.
If you have any questions or think a bird needs more medical help, the Tucson Wildlife Center can be reached at 520-290-9453. Click HERE to visit their website or to donate to the non-profit to help care for the rescued hawks.
