Two cops from the New York Police Department (NYPD) saved an injured wild hawk struck in the traffic at a busy intersection in Brooklyn on Jan. 23.
The injured hawk, dubbed the #Williambird, narrowly missed speeding cars before NYPD cops put it into a cage and took it to a local wildlife rehabilitation centre.
You know its species, not its story: the defiant hawk sits in traffic as vehicles approach it. Specialized personnel are attempting to contain the bird. Keep following the story here: https://t.co/dj22jgwmz2 #Williamsbird #CitizenAppNYC pic.twitter.com/WRJfDClZ8D
— Citizen NYC (@CitizenApp_NYC) January 23, 2019
A big crowd of onlookers had gathered near the three-way intersection of Lorimer, Lee and Wallabout Streets in Williamsburg at about 6 p.m., witness Francisco Paez, 36, told New York Post. The hawk stood in the middle of the street, helpless, according to videos tweeted by Citizen NYC.
(Williamsbird, Brooklyn) Hawk on Sidewalk — A crowd is gathered around a hawk-like bird near Lorimer Street & Lee Ave. Follow here for videos and updates: https://t.co/dj22jgwmz2 #CitizenAppNYC pic.twitter.com/fAz2UNM957
— Citizen NYC (@CitizenApp_NYC) January 23, 2019
“It seemed like it was sick,” Paez told New York Post. “It was just kind of scary that it was in the middle of the street and cars were going by … I was afraid it was going to run over by a car.”
It was Paez who was able to move the bird to the road side by throwing his coat on him.
Not an Easy Rescue
A NYPD cop using gloves and a towel then approached the hawk, but it flew away onto a window across the street. The bird stayed on the window for sometime and again escaped when the police arrived, landing back in the intersection.
Officers and curious onlookers then saved the bird from speeding traffic, including a bus, and finally managed to push him into the cage.
The bird was found to be suffering from moderate lead poisoning and was covered with grease, according to a tweet by NYPD 90th Precint, which saved the bird.
Great work by Officer D’Angelo and Islam With help from Truck8 for saving this Hayward Hawk ????at the intersection of Lorimer and Lee Ave, He has moderate lead poisoning and was covered in grease. #NYPDProtecting #Brooklyn #Hawk pic.twitter.com/GIuRA3Bxrj
— NYPD 90th Precinct (@NYPD90Pct) January 24, 2019
Hawks are common to New York City. According to Wildlife NYC, red-tailed hawks provide free pest control to New York as they feed on mice and rats. The city’s tall bridges and buildings also provide them with suitable nesting space.
New York’s hawks have had their own share of fame. A hawk named Pale Male that made New York its home since 1990 became so famous that he was featured in films and in children’s books.
Other Bird Rescues in New York City
This is not the first time that NYPD has rescued a hawk from a busy city street or intersection. Last year just before Christmas, NYPD rescued an uninjured hawk from the very-busy Penn station on Dec. 24.
In this case, MTA officials had called police. Detective Joseph Bucchignano was the officer who showed up on Christmas Eve to help the trapped bird. He pulled it out of the booth, put it into a cage, and released it over the Hudson River on the West Side Highway.
Meet Penn Station’s Early Bird traveler, This Red Shouldered Hawk attempted to beat the holiday rush last night but missed the train. #NYPD ESU Detective Bucchignano safely captured the uninjured bird and sent it on its way. #ChristmasEve pic.twitter.com/ybQnLDtfLb
— NYPD Special Ops (@NYPDSpecialops) December 24, 2018