Another Spectacular Release

Here's a nice shot of another member of the Miami Dade County Firefighter's Venom Response Unit. Lisa Wood, a former wildlife rehabilitator was excited as we prepared to release a sharp shinned hawk that fully recovered from a particularly nasty fracture to her wing into a beautiful park in rural Davie Florida. Sharp shinned hawks, like cooper's hawks are accipiters and primarily prey upon other birds in an ambush style of hunting. We only see these little guys during the migration season which is slowly winding down. It seems as if we saw many more of these adorable, but amazing little hawks this year than in previous years. One can only hope that this is a good sign that they are either becoming more numerous or adapting to an urban lifestyle. In either case, it may mean that we will continue to see more and more of them every year. The cooper's hawk has made quite a living hunting abundantly in urban areas as pigeons, doves, and starlings abound. It does however make them an unfortunate target of those who would shoot them out of hatred for their adaptability and unfortunate habit of hanging around domestic pigeon breeders. Lets hope that the sharp-shinned hawk, because of its diminutive size, can slip under the radar.