On October 13, an adult Red-tailed Hawk was brought to Ojai Raptor Center from Simi Valley after being shot with a BB gun. Unfortunately, pellet and bb gun injuries are a common occurrence, and we see them far too frequently. Although it is a federal offense to shoot any bird of prey, without a witness, there is no way of catching or prosecuting the perpetrators. Luckily, this hawk has an excellent prognosis. She sustained ulnar fractures in her left. Ulnar fractures are the most common orthopedic injury we treat here at ORC; in 2021 we saw 22 birds with these fractures. They do not usually need surgical repair when the neighboring bone, the radius, is intact, because the radius acts as an internal splint. The fractures are simply bandaged for two to three weeks, and they typically heal quite well if managed appropriately. The bb was removed and the patient was prescribed antibiotics, pain medications, and anti-inflammatories. Along with regular wound cleaning, she also received regular physical therapy while anesthetized to maintain her wing’s range of motion. The Red-tailed Hawk is expected to make a full recovery and will return to the wild in two-three months. Today is #GivingTuesday and your donation can help more birds of prey like this hawk. Thanks to a generous match by The Shanbrom Family Foundation, all donations today up to $15,000 will be doubled!