“It’s normal for young birds to spend time on the ground as they learn to fly, but this hawk may have fledged a little early,” said Deb Sheaffer, Portland Audubon veterinarian. “We found a small amount of blood in the bird’s mouth, so we’re monitoring it closely now. The blood may be an indication of internal trauma from the bird’s fall.”
Sheaffer is conducting blood work and running x-rays to look for the source of the blood. If the results indicate that the bird is in good health, we’ll try to reunite the fledgling with its parents.
Audubon has a long-running relationship with the hawk’s family – its parents were featured on the KGW-Audubon Raptor Cam from 2007-2011. In 2012, the pair moved from a downtown fire escape to the Federal Courthouse, where they are raising at least two young this year.
