Red-Tailed Hawk Released in Washington After Rehab

The bird was rehabilitated by an Iowa City non-profit after suffering injuries from a window strike.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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A young red-tailed hawk was released back into the wild in Washington earlier this week after receiving rehabilitation treatment at the RARE Group, a non-profit raptor rehabilitation organization in Iowa City. The hawk had suffered injuries consistent with a window strike and was showing signs of head trauma when it was brought to the RARE Group by Burlington Animal Control.

Why it matters

The successful rehabilitation and release of the red-tailed hawk highlights the important work of non-profit organizations like the RARE Group in caring for injured birds of prey and returning them to the wild. These efforts help maintain healthy raptor populations and ecosystems.

The details

After the hawk's condition rapidly improved, the RARE Group planned to have the bird spend time in their flight cage for further rehabilitation. However, the hawk was so eager to be released that they decided to let it go directly. One of the RARE Group's volunteers who also volunteers at PAWS & More Animal Shelter in Washington offered to take the hawk to Washington County, where it was successfully released back into the wild.

  • The hawk was brought to the RARE Group in Iowa City by Burlington Animal Control.
  • The hawk was released back into the wild in Washington earlier this week.

The players

RARE Group

A non-profit raptor rehabilitation organization in Iowa City that works with eagles, owls, and other birds of prey. The organization rehabilitates around 150 birds per year.

Sonja Hadenfeldt

The coordinator of the RARE Group.

PAWS & More Animal Shelter

An animal shelter in Washington that frequently collaborates with the RARE Group, assisting with medical donations and other items.

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What they’re saying

“Basically, he was in that box and you could just hear him trying to escape that box, and it's like, oh, he does not need to go to our flight cage, he just needs to go.”

— Sonja Hadenfeldt, Coordinator, RARE Group (kciiradio.com)

The takeaway

This story highlights the important work of non-profit organizations like the RARE Group in rehabilitating injured birds of prey and successfully releasing them back into the wild, helping to maintain healthy raptor populations and ecosystems.