Vets in Hastings have pulled off what was described as a "remarkable" rescue of a hawk that was lodged in a car grille, thanks to some careful planning and a trip to a car workshop.
VetsOne vet nurse Nadine Hook said the bird – known as a swamp harrier or kāhu – was freed from its predicament after about 80 minutes when staff were notified.
In a post to Facebook, the clinic said an “understandably shaken” woman brought in the bird while it was stuck in the front of the MG she was test driving.
"The impact had sent the bird straight through the front grille of her car, wings outstretched across the bumper like a giant, feathered butterfly. The hawk was stressed, scared and firmly wedged in place."
With the help of one veterinarian and two veterinary nurses, pain relief and slight sedation was administered so the team could work safely on freeing the hawk
Once the hawk was calm, a plan was made to get it free, which involved folding the wings back into a natural position, and then manoeuvring them through the grille.
Once the wings were folded into place however, the vets found the bird was "firmly wedged" between the radiator and surrounding panels.
"Both the upper and lower access points were sealed — there was no safe way to reach the hawk from inside the engine bay."
The rescue team then took a trip to a car workshop, where a mechanic was able to carefully cut open the already-damaged grille, while a nurse gently lifted the hawk out for a full assessment.
Hook said in her Facebook post it was "astonishing" to find the bird had no major injuries, despite the "dramatic impact".
The hawk spent a night recovering but an morning assessment confirmed he was fit for release.
"With just a final dose of pain relief to ensure a comfortable transition back to the wild, the team prepared for the big moment.
"The instant the towel was unwrapped, he launched out with absolute gusto. He climbed effortlessly into the sky, circled overhead in a few confident loops as if to get his bearings — or perhaps to say a quick thank you — and then flew off toward the sunset, free once more.
"A remarkable ending for a remarkable rescue."
Hook told 1News she was worried at first about the bird's condition, but the only thing she could find was a “little smear of blood in the corner of the mouth, but it was dry, and there was nothing else”.
“The wings was fine, the body was fine… there was nothing I could see that was worrying me.
“I was worried also about burns, because the radiator was quite close and he was touching it with his feet, but there was no issues.”
She said the moment the bird was freed the next day after its night at the clinic reminded her of why she does her job.
“This job has really good highs and has also got really bad lows… it just reminds me why I chose to do this job, and there’s nothing quite wildlife and seeing them return to where they come from.”
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