Red-Tailed Hawk to be Released in Prospect Park Today

A red-tailed hawk, which was nursed back to health after being found in Fort Greene a few months ago, will be released back into the wild in a ceremony at the Prospect Park Audubon Center on Thursday, Sept. 27.

The event, which starts at 11 a.m., will be the kickoff for this weekend’s Raptor Fest.

Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Kevin Jeffrey and the Urban Park Rangers will release the 6-month-old red-tailed hawk into the sky with third graders from the St. Savior Elementary School.

Wildlife In Need Of Rescue and Rehabilitation’s (WINORR) Bobby Horvath, was the one who actually found the hawk in Fort Greene Park. Also, a few other birds of prey, including owls and falcons will be present for educational demonstrations.

This weekend, Sept. 30 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., several species of falcons, hawks, owls, and other birds of prey from across North America will take to the skies during the 15th Annual Raptor Fest, a free public event to be held in Prospect Park’s Nethermead Meadow (Enter at Ocean Avenue and Lincoln Road).

Raptor Fest, hosted by the Urban Park Rangers and the Prospect Park Audubon Center, offers New Yorkers of all ages the rare opportunity to watch these predatory birds fly, dive and interact with their handlers.