New Yorkers come together to rescue hawk trapped in Bronx subway station

Thursday, February 10, 2022

Hawk rescued after becoming trapped in Bronx subway station

A hawk was rescued and released after flying into a Bronx subway station and camping out for days this week. Anthony Johnson has the story.

PELHAM BAY PARK, Bronx (WABC) -- A hawk was rescued and released after flying into a Bronx subway station and camping out for days this week.

The Cooper's hawk took up perch on a pipe in the Westchester Square-East Tremont Ave station after seemingly becoming trapped.

It's believed the hawk got into the station by chasing a pigeon or a smaller bird, but once it got in, it couldn't figure a way to get out.

Station agent Paul Flores noticed its plight and just wanted to help.

"It had to be in some sort of distress and just tired of flying back and forth and it needed help just getting out of the station and it would be alright after that," Flores said.

The trains were rumbling and the hawk got spooked.

Flores made multiple calls for help to catch the hawk, and finally reached a volunteer through the Audubon Society who used a big net to capture the bird.

"He was exhausted and he had a slight tumble, so I was able to net him on a step," Bobby Horvath said.

Horvath, a retired firefighter who works with Wildlife in Need, went into the subway station Wednesday night, and using a huge 18 foot net, caught the bird.

There was relief all around.

"It looked like, when he caught it, it said thank God," Flores said.

The hawk was released back into the wild on Thursday afternoon at Pelham Bay Park.

Horvath said the hawk is lucky because 50% of rescue birds never make it back to the wild because their injuries are too severe.

The migratory hawk is now free to own the skies once again.

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