SPRINGDALE, Ark. — Northsong Wild Bird Rehabilitation has been caring for a red-tailed hawk since January. The bird was brought to them with head trauma.
Tuesday, March 29, was the day they released the bird back into the wild at the Waste Management Co-Vista Landfill in Tontitown.
“Our birds are important to our ecosystem. They eat all of the kinds of small rodents in our area, so if you don’t really want rats in your house, we need our birds around here,” said Madison Kennedy.
Madison Kennedy is the organization's medical and outreach coordinator. She says landfills make a great home for birds because there is a lot of trash, mice and rats.
“The birds love it out here. We actually came out here a few months ago to work with waste management and there were already some red-tails out here so we’re very excited to add another one and usually, groups of red-tails do fine together, so they are just going to run the roost,” she said.
More than 60 second graders from Rollins School of Innovation got to witness the red-tailed hawk be released. Second grade teacher, Jessie Walls says on Monday, March 28, Kennedy went and spoke to the students about what they do and the importance of birds.
“This is our jumping off for our huge eco-systems unit for the rest of the year. So, this is the perfect way to be able to come and look at how systems work together. So, we have a trash, waste management that’s also going to provide sanctuary for animals and their habitat,” said Walls.
Since June, the organization has cared for or consulted on 90 birds. This red-tailed hawk was the organization's 10th bird to release back to the wild.
“We have partnered with Waste Management this last year and they are very environmentally friendly, very good for our environment and our community and we want to partner with people like that, that share our mission. We want to help the community and wildlife as much as we can,” said Kennedy.
Northsong Wild Bird Rehabilitation is a nonprofit, so they are only able to help injured birds like the one released here today with help from the community.
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