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Monterey SPCA Offers $1,000 Reward For Info On Hawk Shooting

SALINAS (CBS SF) -- The SPCA for Monterey County is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who shot a federally protected red-tailed hawk near King City earlier this month.

A person at the intersection of San Lucas and Oasis roads found the hawk with five pellet wounds to its body on Aug. 7, according to the SPCA.

A Red-Tailed Hawk Found Shot Near King City in Monterey County
A red-tailed hawk that was found shot near King City.

The hawk was brought the next day to a local veterinary hospital in King City, which contacted the SPCA's Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center.

SPCA officials said the bird had pellet wounds to its body, including its wings, legs and head. One of the pellets fell out easily while being cleaned but the other four are still inside its body.

In addition to the pellet wounds, the hawk suffered lacerations on one of its legs and a greenstick fracture in its left wing. The bird is also currently not eating.

SPCA officials said they are currently treating the bird for its injuries and hope to release him to the wild when he recovers.

Red-tailed hawks fall under the protection of the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which makes it illegal without a waiver to pursue, hunt, capture, take, kill or sell protected birds.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the SPCA at (831) 373-2631. Calls can remain confidential.

Donations can be made to the SPCA for Monterey County by calling them or visiting their website at www.spcamc.org.

© Copyright 2017 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

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