Rufus the Hawk, a Wimbledon Fixture, Stolen

ABC News' Sydney Lupkin reports:

The hawk that patrols the skies over Wimbledon tennis courts to scare away the pigeons that interfere with play has been stolen, UK Metropolitan police told ABCNews.com

Rufus, a 4 ½-year-old Harris hawk, and his cage were stolen out of a car either Thursday night or Friday morning in Wimbledon, according to police spokeswoman Kate Campbell. The car was parked on a private driveway, and a back window was cracked open for air, she said.

In addition to patrolling the skies at Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships, Rufus was a family pet, Campbell said, adding that his owners are "distressed" over the disappearance.

Rufus was contracted to work at Wimbledon - and a few other pest patrol gigs - through Avian Environmental Consultants. Avian's blog even features a photo of Rufus from last year's tournament.

Using birds of prey to ward off pigeons has been a practice at Wimbledon since 1999, according to Avian. Rufus circled before and after the athletes took to the courts to scare the pigeons, but not to attack them. His presence alone kept them away.

The hawk has become a regular character at Wimbledon. He even has his own twitter handle, @RufusTheHawk, which has more than 500 followers and often uses the hashtag #SquawkYouLater.

Today, @RufusTheHawk addressed worried fans.

"Hello lovely Twitterers, no news yet, but we must be hopeful," the tweet reads. "Thank you for your kind and lovely words, they're much appreciated ? # findRufus ."

http://news.yahoo.com/rufus-hawk-wimbledon-fixture-stolen-180040113--abc-news-topstories.html%3b_ylt=AmEWrNekzTwjmJ32eYtuzR94hMgF%3b_ylu=X3oDMTRhcDBqNWJjBG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSBTY2llbmNlU0YgQW5pbWFsUGV0c1NTRgRwa2cDOGZiMDc4MmYtZjQ2OC0zYzAwLWEzMDEtMTExMDg2OGUxZDE1BHBvcwMzBHNlYwN0b3Bfc3RvcnkEdmVyA2Y3NDMxNjExLWMyZGYtMTFlMS1iZmVmLTgwZTgzNzllNDY0YQ--%3b_ylg=X3oDMTI0MmNvNGRoBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANzY2llbmNlfGFuaW1hbHNhbmRwZXRzBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25z%3b_ylv=3

Hawk with nail in head alive and still flying free in San Francisco park

A hawk with a nail in its head is alive and still flying free around a San Francisco park after being shot with a nail gun and foiling rescuers' attempts to catch and help it.
This week saw members of the WildRescue group fail in their third attempt to capture the red-tailed hawk after it was spotted in the city's Golden Gate Park eating a gopher it appeared to have captured.
The group were told about the injured bird on Sunday and set about using wire-mesh traps - rather than nets, in which the nail could get caught and further harm the hawk - to try to catch it.

According to its rescuers, the bird is likely to have been born in the park to parents that live in the area.

They believe it was intentionally targeted with the nail gun, prompting one donor to add to WildRescue's existing reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the culprit.
Rebecca Dmytryk, the group's executive director, told the AP news agency of the difficulty of making sure the bird is nourished while also trying to keep it hungry so it can be lured towards its rescuers.
'We know he's gotten some nourishment, which is good because we know he's in a weakened state,' she remarked.

Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/879326-hawk-with-nail-in-head-still-alive-and-flying-free-in-san-francisco-park#ixzz1bVmkquod

Dive-bombing hawks send posties running

By QMI Agency

Postal workers in Moose Jaw, Sask., are taking cover after hawks have started to dive-bomb them.

Residents in about four city blocks have been told their mail delivery will be suspended because the Swainson's hawks pose a threat to workers, Teresa Williams of Canada Post told QMI Agency Friday.

"They're defending their nest," she said, adding the birds' talons could seriously injure someone. "It can be quite dangerous."

While residents might not be happy with having to go to the post office to pick up their mail, Williams said many people understand because this is the second year in a row the birds have behaved this way.

"They weren't aggressive for quite some time. I don't know why they became aggressive now. Maybe their young hatched," Williams said.

"We can't shoo it away," she added. "Nature has to take its course."

Williams said they're unsure how long home delivery will have to be suspended. Last year, people had to go to the post office for their mail for several weeks.

The Peregrine Fund says Swainson's hawks are often found in open grasslands, prairies, farmlands and deserts that have some trees for nesting. The female hawk will lay two or three eggs, which are incubated for 34 days, and then the young fledge about six weeks later.

"At one time, hawks avoided the city but now they're moving in," Williams said, noting Canada Post is watching the birds this year to come up with a plan if they return to the same nest next summer.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2010/08/06/14941916.html

Mother hawk sends N.L. residents running

By THE CANADIAN PRESS

May 25, 2009

NORTH WEST BROOK, N.L. - People near a community on the east coast of Newfoundland and Labrador have been taking some heat from a protective mother hawk.

Several people have been attacked, suffering cuts to their heads and hands, near a walking trail in the North West Brook area.

A sign has been put up to warn people of the potential danger.

One woman from North West Brook says the hawk swooped down and attacked her while she was out for a walk on Saturday evening.

Dennis Baker says the same hawk came at him from behind last week, cutting his head and hands.

Wildlife officers found a nest in the area and expect the eggs to hatch soon.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2009/05/25/9560356-cp.html