The hawk is on the mend.
#FDNY Lt. Santo Bevinetto & members of #TenHouse rescue injured red-tailed hawk near WTC in Manhattan pic.twitter.com/i8I9yWvfD4
— FDNY (@FDNY) November 30, 2015
Firefighters rescued an injured red-tailed hawk near the World Trade Center Monday afternoon, according to the FDNY. The male bird, which is less than one year old, crashed to ground in front of a firehouse on Liberty Street near Greenwich Street at about 2 p.m.
Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator & #FDNY FF Robert Horvath of #E264 tends to injured red-tailed hawk rescued today pic.twitter.com/Oupvh9Lp8l
— FDNY (@FDNY) November 30, 2015
A lieutenant on duty called the department's wildlife rehabilitator, Bobby Horvath.
Horvath was about an hour away from the station and advised them to try and approach the bird from behind and throw a blanket or jacket over him.
"Five minutes later they called me up and said they had him," Horvath told DNAinfo on Tuesday.
The rehabilitator then traveled to Engine Co. 10 to take care of the hawk.
Luckily the bird had not suffered any broken bones, but was in a "weakened state" and covered in parasites, Horvath said.
"He was kind of slumped over when I saw him," he said. "His head was drooping, one eye was closed."
Horvath thinks the hawk may have already been sick and then slammed into a skyscraper window after being chased by smaller birds.
The animal is now convalescing at his Long Island home.
"He ate great last night, and is on pain medication on antibiotics," he said. "He’s a totally different bird today. He’s upright, he has a fierce look in his eye."
#FDNY Lt. Santo Bevinetto of #Engine10, along with FDNY members, rescued injured red-tailed #hawk near WTC today pic.twitter.com/0FczTBVDvI
— FDNY (@FDNY) November 30, 2015
Horvath, who is also currently caring for a woodchuck, squirrel and some gulls, plans to treat the bird for about a week or two and then release him in a big park in an outer borough.
"To get to release them and give them a second chance, that’s the reward," Horvath said.