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PHOTOS: Hawk Rescued in FiDi Released in Central Park

By Irene Plagianos | December 5, 2016 1:02pm | Updated on December 5, 2016 2:49pm
 Urban Park Ranger Sgt. Rob Mastrianni releases the young hawk in Central Park on Dec. 2.
Urban Park Ranger Sgt. Rob Mastrianni releases the young hawk in Central Park on Dec. 2.
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Courtesy of the Parks Department

An injured red-tailed hawk rescued from a Financial District street is back in the wilds of New York City, after less than a week of rest and recovery, officials said.

The young hawk stopped traffic on Hanover Square at about 2 p.m. on Nov. 27 as it stood seemingly dazed after crashing into a building, officials said.

The young female bird, who hit her head but didn't suffer any breaks or fractures, was able to bounce back quickly, and was ready for release Friday, after several days of recuperation with Wildlife in Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation (WINORR), a Long Island-based nonprofit that regularly cares for the city's injured wildlife.

Sgt. Rob Mastrianni, the same Urban Park Ranger who helped recover the stunned bird from the street, took her to Central's Park's East Meadow, near 98th Street, Friday afternoon at about 4:30 p.m., and the brown and white bird flew off without any trouble.


Courtesy of the Parks Department

According to the Audubon Society, hawks are flourishing in New York City, with a spike in their population in recent years. It's a growth in numbers some experts attribute to a lower use of rodenticide during the birds' breeding season — rats and mice are a main source of food for hawks.