
Luna County Sheriff’s Captain Jose Martinez said Deputy Michael Beckle was patrolling Highway 9 near Pancho Villa State Park at about 3 p.m. Tuesday when he saw the bird on the road unable to fly.
Using a jacket to avoid the bird’s talons and beak, Beckle gathered the bird and transported it to High Desert Veterinary Care in Deming, where Veterinary Technician Sherry McDaniel was able to examine the bird.
McDaniel, who worked in raptor rehabilitation for 10 years in Texas and who is a Master Falconer, determined the red-tailed hawk was a juvenile of less than a year old by the color and length of the bird’s tail.
McDaniel said the bird was very thin and suffering from an abrasion on its wing that prevented it from flying and aggressively feeding.
She said the bird was picked up Wednesday morning by Dennis Miller with Gila Wildlife Rescue in Silver City, a non-profit organization, where the bird will be allowed to rehabilitate before being released back into the wild.