Wildlife Patients in Care: Red-tailed Hawk 10-2715

This young Red-tailed Hawk was found sitting on the ground in Seattle, stunned and apparently unable to fly. He was admitted to PAWS Wildlife Center on November 7.

PAWS staff observed that the hawk was not bearing full weight on his left leg. We took radiographs (X-rays) of the bird and discovered that he had a fracture in his left tibiotarsus (a bone of the lower leg in birds). Because the fracture was not severe, and the bone was still well-aligned, the hawk was simply placed on cage rest to allow time for the injury to heal.