Man rescues injured hawk from Long Island highway

NEW YORK (PIX11) – A man rescued an injured hawk stranded on the side of Sunrise Highway on Long Island Thursday afternoon.

Deb Oliver was driving when she noticed the injured bird. She held out her hand John DeBackerthe vice president of Long Island Cat and Kitten Solution.

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DeBacker contacted 911 and officers from the Suffolk County Police Department showed up to slow traffic.

Wearing jeans and gloves, DeBacker grabbed the hawk, which appeared stunned, video of the rescue showed. The bird flapped its wings and dug its claws into DeBacker before placing the bird in a crate.

“I was afraid the hawk would fly into traffic,” he said. “The hawk was probably there hours before my friend called me, and we were able to save it. I love animals, so if you see something, say something, especially if it’s an injured animal.”

DeBacker said he has rescued cats, birds and other critters since high school.

The hawk was taken to Sweetbriar Nature Center in Smithtown for examination. The full extent of his injuries was unclear.

Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. Since 2021, he has been reporting on local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area. In 2023 he joined the PIX11 Digital team. You can see more of his work here.

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