Shortly after releasing a Red-tailed Hawk that had been hit by a car and stuck in a grille, we admitted this Red-shouldered Hawk in the same situation! This hawk's collision caused bilateral wing fractures and it has a guarded prognosis for complete recovery.

As in the first case, a police officer of @VSPPIO was quickly on scene & able to help.
We see a few of these cases each year, so we thought we'd offer some advice on what to do in this situation! (Thread)

If you believe you’ve hit a hawk or owl & don't see the bird on the road behind you (you'll hear and feel it!), it may be stuck in your grille. What now?

1. STAY CALM, put your hazards on, & pull over when safe. Panicking won’t help you or the hawk & can make driving dangerous.

2. Check the front of your car. If there’s no animal, take a look around the area.

3. If there is a bird in the grille, use a blanket/sweatshirt or whatever is available to cover the bird. This will help keep it calm and prevent struggling that could make injuries worse.

Avoid loud talking in front of the bird by getting back inside your vehicle. Make note of exactly where you hit the bird (address, mile markers, landmarks, etc) so it can be returned home if it survives.

4. Call your closest rehabilitator (now is a good time to save our number in your phone – 540-837-9000 – we can help direct you to local resources in an emergency, even if we aren’t the closest facility). Rehabilitators in VA can be found by county here: https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/injured/rehabilitators/

5. If you can't get in touch with a rehabilitator, leave a voicemail. Calling local animal control or the police non-emergency number is the next best option.

Officers may be able to help assess the situation, & many have training to properly remove animals without causing further damage. You can also call our state wildlife agency to see if a conservation police officer is available in the area to assist (1-855-571-9003).

6. Please give rehabilitators time to call you back before rushing to remove any bird – this often causes more harm than good. Remember, these birds have sharp beaks & strong talons that can cause significant damage to untrained individuals, even if they appear weak and quiet.

If no one is responding & you must intervene, thick gloves should be worn and the animal’s head should remain covered. Never forcefully pull an animal out of a vehicle or any other material, like netting or fencing – they must be safely maneuvered to prevent further injury.

This often requires some disassembly or breaking of the grille (which is often already broken & will need to be replaced regardless). Once the bird is contained in a box or crate, it can be safely transported to a rehabilitator or remain in the box while you wait to hear back.

7. Take photos of the damage and contact your insurance company as necessary.

Remember these steps - it could help you save a wild life!