After more than a month of searching, Darke County Parks is calling an end to its search for a missing Red-Tailed Hawk.
In a social media post, parks officials said they had investigated a number of hawks whose locations had been sent in by residents, but “none allowed a close enough approach to confirm an ID.”
Spirit the hawk has been missing since early February. Shawnee Prairie Preserve employees contacted law enforcement on Feb. 3 after discovering a bird enclosure had been damaged, allowing the bird to fly away.
They’re not giving up hope, however.
“Going forward, we ask that you report any red-tailed hawk exhibiting imprinted behaviors — begging for food, approaching people without fear, or actively engaging with humans — as these would indicate imprinted behavior,” the statement continued.
Darke County Parks
Darke County Park District employees said Spirit’s brother, who had been in the enclosure with her, had been found perched on the window sill and shooed back inside.
“Maybe someone who was uneducated, maybe thought they were doing the right thing, has done this, but in the process, they’ve caused criminal damage,” said Darke County Sheriff Mark Whittaker.