Buzzard rescued from Harrogate car bumper
It had been stuck in the grill overnight
Last updated 4th Jan 2022
A buzzard that was trapped in a Harrogate woman's car has been released into the wild.
The resident thought she'd hit something with her car while driving home one evening, only to find the bird of prey lodged in the front grill the following morning.
She frantically called round mechanics to see if they could remove the bumper and free the buzzard but was struggling to get help so called the RSPCA.
Animal rescuer, inspector Claire Little was sent to an address in Fulworth Road, Harrogate, on Tuesday (December 28) when a motorist realised she had a buzzard trapped in her Jaguar car.
Claire Little, said:
“She thought the car had hit something and she then found the bird stuck in the car grill - who was miraculously still alive.
“I went along and was able to carefully remove the bird from the front grill of the car by removing some parts.
“I then checked her over and amazingly she didn’t seem injured - she just had a few ruffled feathers but no cuts on her body.”
The plucky buzzard was taken into the care of a wildlife specialist and she was able to fly later that day. Her condition was monitored and then she was released back into the wild on New Year’s Day.
Claire added:
“She was a little shocked at first but wasn’t displaying any signs of injury. I think she just had some concussion but she seemed to recover well. It was a great moment to watch her happily fly off as I released her - and I caught the heart-warming moment on video.
“The RSPCA is the only charity with teams out rescuing animals across England and Wales this winter. We have to be there for all kinds of animals who need help, including wildlife like this buzzard. We rely entirely on donations so we’re calling on animal lovers to Join the Rescue to help keep our teams doing whatever it takes to rescue, rehabilitate and release wildlife.”
The RSPCA would advise members of the public with concerns for injured or trapped wildlife to contact the charity by calling 0300 1234 999 for advice or to request help.