Alberta wildlife facility sees influx of injured hawks; what you can do to help

A wildlife rehabilitation facility in southern Alberta is looking for help after becoming full of injured hawks.

The Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation (AIWC) in the hamlet of Madden has taken in 29 immature migratory hawks since the start of July, half of which were hurt in vehicle collisions.

"Roadkill attracts these young hawks to roadsides, but they lack the strong flight skills that would allow them to escape oncoming traffic," explains a Thursday news release.

"Hawks that survive vehicle collisions can take weeks to recover, often requiring surgery to properly heal."

The rehabilitation facility is calling on Albertans to help juvenile hawks on their first fall migration journeys by lowering speeds on rural roads, especially at night.

"This reduces the likelihood of hitting wildlife. Leaving organic waste on roadsides also attracts prey animals to roads, which in turn attracts predators, like hawks," said AIWC.  

The organization is also encouraging people to log hawk sightings using citizen apps, like eBird and iNaturalist.

"This gives rehabilitation staff information on the best places to release hawks during the fall migration season," said a news release.

The Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation says between July and September 2024 it has taken in 29 hawks. (AIWC) To learn more about the rehabilitation of hawks, you can watch the latest episode of  Alberta Wildlife Insider, AIWC’s educational YouTube series.