Life History of Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center’s Red-tailed Hawk
Carpenter Nature Center’s Red-tailed Hawk exhibits a barring pattern on its tail, even in adulthood. This pattern is more typical of Western Red-tailed Hawks.
Carpenter Nature Center’s Red-tailed Hawk was obtained from a rehabilitation center in Nebraska in December 1997 as an adult . He was injured in a collision with a truck mirror in January of that same year. He suffered severe head trauma and is blind in his right eye. He is considered “unreleasable” due to his permanent injuries.
Carpenter Nature Center’s Red-tailed Hawk has an atypical plumage for birds found in our region as his tail has maintained a full complement of black barring.
The Red-tailed Hawk at Carpenter Nature Center is a wonderful ambassador for his species, teaching thousands of visitors every year about our natural environment and the diversity of wildlife life found in our region. CNC’s hawk will live a very comfortable life with humans, as he is provided with all the food he needs, stellar medical care, and safety from predators.
If you find an injured bird of prey, please keep cats, dogs and children away from the bird to minimize its stress. Evaluate the situation to ensure your own safety and that of others in the area, especially in the case of an injured hawk along a roadside. Contact the nearest wildlife rehabilitation center for further instructions. In our area, please contact The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota. Intentionally keeping a wild bird of prey without appropriate permits is against the law.