Shooter wounds hawk, kills dove

Greg Risling

COSTA MESA -- Police are looking for a gunman who -- Friday morning

-- killed a dove and seriously wounded a hawk protected by state law.

Someone shot both birds with a pellet gun while they were nestled in a

tree, according to police. The Cooper’s hawk suffered a broken wing and

was taken to an animal hospital for examination.

“The hawk was hit in a spot where the pellet can’t be removed,” said

Costa Mesa police Sgt. Don Holford. “The wing can’t be fixed and that

will limit the bird’s movements.”

Police received the report shortly after 8 a.m. when a witness heard a

popping sound near the corner of Meyer Place and Knowell Place. The

witness heard the screech of one of the birds. When police arrived, they

discovered the dove dead on the ground and the hawk struggling to

survive.

The hawk’s injury could be life-threatening as a bone in it’s left

wing was severely broken. A team of specialists will monitor the raptor

for the next two days to determine if the the bone can be fixed or if the

wing must be amputated.

“The wing is cold to the touch,” said Dr. Don Petersen, who works at

the All Creatures Care Cottage where the hawk was taken. “It looks like a

lot of work involved to get the bird back into the wild.”

The Cooper’s hawk is protected from being game to hunters under state

guidelines. The hawk preys upon smaller birds like sparrows and doves.

Police have no description of the suspected shooter, who could face

cruelty to animals charges if found. The maximum penalty is a $20,000

fine and up to one year in prison.