MSP Troopers Rescue Injured Hawk in Grayling, Michigan

Fall Challenges for Michigan Wildlife

Fall can be a tricky time for Michigan wildlife. As the days get shorter and temperatures drop, animals are on the move—stocking up on food, getting ready to hibernate, or heading somewhere warmer. Add in deer mating season, and it’s no surprise we see more wildlife rescues increase this time of year.

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Recent MSP Wildlife Rescue

Just recently, Michigan State Police troopers freed a deer caught in a fence in Jackson County and, in another incident, untangled one stuck in a hammock in Macomb County.

This time, it was a hawk that needed a helping hand.

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Red-Tailed Hawk Rescued in Grayling

On October 15, troopers from the MSP Houghton Lake Post were called to a parking lot in Grayling after someone reported an injured red-tailed hawk. When they arrived, they used a blanket to safely trap the bird and gently guide it into a pet carrier.

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(And I’ve got to say—I admire their technique. Setting the crate on its end and lowering the animal inside—using a hard plastic carrier, not a soft one—is exactly the approach That's been recommended to me by Trap-Neuter-Return experts when handling feral cats. It’s efficient and humane.)

Hawk Recovery and Release Plans

After consulting with the Michigan DNR, troopers transported the hawk to the Association to Rescue Kritters (A.R.K.) in Roscommon. The bird will recover there until it’s ready to be released back into the wild.

Another successful rescue, thanks to quick thinking by MSP troopers.

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Michigan is known for its wildlife, especially its many unique birds. However, you might know the name of the bird you're looking at. List of birds from Animal Spot and Where's Wildlife.

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The Birds That Migrate To and From Michigan

Michigan is notable for its four seasons, and if you don't like the cold, neither do its animals. That means that many birds go south for the winter and return in large numbers during the spring. These are the most common ones you'll start seeing again as the weather goes from warm to cold, and vice versa. Information comes from the State of Michigan and Birdcast.

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While much of Michigan's bird populations head south for the winter, plenty stay here throughout the cold. Crazily enough, some even head North instead. Bird information courtesy of perkypet.com

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