A red-shouldered hawk weighing two pounds was rescued in Virginia after consuming so many local chickens that it became too heavy to fly. The Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke team diagnosed the bird as "too darn fat to fly" after finding it grounded in a driveway.
The hawk weighed over 910 grams, significantly more than the typical 1 to 1.5 pounds for its species. Wildlife rehabilitators found a thick layer of fat obscuring the bird's keel, making flight impossible.
The center noted that wild animals rarely become obese without human intervention and speculated about the hawk's unusual condition. They questioned if it was a lost falconry bird, being fed by someone, or an escaped captive hawk. Their investigation revealed that a neighbor had reported their chickens disappearing at an alarming rate over the preceding weeks.
It appears the hawk had been feasting on the easy prey, eating its fill, and then resting before repeating the cycle. "After weeks of repeating this feasting and sleeping, it's no wonder she got too fat to fly!" the center stated on Facebook. While the situation was humorous for observers, the center pointed out the serious implications for the hawk's survival. Without the ability to fly, the bird was extremely vulnerable to predators. The center advised against feeding wildlife, directly or indirectly, as it can lead to such man-made issues.
