Cooper’s Hawk released after four-day ordeal

by Hailey Trealout

A young Cooper’s Hawk was released Nov. 26 after spending nearly four days in the University of Windsor’s Dillon Hall.

The hawk was freed at the Ojibway Nature Centre in LaSalle after it was fed, hydrated and deemed to be “in good shape.”

The doors of Dillon Hall were left open Nov. 22 when a pigeon, pursued by a hawk, flew in and took refuge in the ceiling of the building.

Essex County Field Naturalists’ Club President Phil Roberts was part of the process and said birds of prey are usually easy to catch but because of the building’s structure the process was a new challenge.

“It was one of the more difficult spots I have ever seen. The roof of that building doesn’t have any kind of access to it and the windows don’t open,” said Roberts. “We had to worry about the hawk getting itself tangled up there, crashing into a window and injuring itself.”

The Cooper’s Hawk was on the threatened list 15 years ago and has since thrived as a species by living in an urban environment. They are known to suffer from accidentally getting trapped in buildings or factories or slamming into windows while trailing their prey.

After numerous attempts to capture the hawk it was finally baited down Sunday morning.

Classes in Dillon Hall are scheduled to resume.