PHOENIX — It was just supposed to be a routine job at a customer’s house for Steven Gonzales, a pest control technician for Truly Nolen Pest and Termite Control.
But it was anything but ordinary.
“This one was crazy,” said Gonzales.
In his industry, he has dealt with many critters on the job, but this was a first. Gonzales and his trainee, Francisco, spotted a Harris’s Hawk holding on for dear life in a pool drain last Thursday.
“It kind of looked like she was gripping and was trying to keep herself afloat," Gonzales said. "She looked pretty weak cause she was just at an angle.”
There was an instant trust between the wild bird of prey and Gonzales, and without gloves or protection, he was able to pull the hawk to safety. The hawk didn’t even try to resist.
“Even though the hawk was very weak. I could still feel the strength from the talons,” Gonzales said.
Rather than flying off into the desert, the hawk stayed with him and even perched on his arm. After the rescue, Gonzales decided to hand the bird over to "Wild at Heart," a raptor rescue in Cave Creek.
“I’d rather be safe than sorry," he added. "You know it’s just a magnificent bird.”
Once the hawk made its way to the rescue, recovery and release were next up on the to-do list.
“She was cold. We just gave her mainly supportive care," said Beth Edwards with Wild at Heart. "Then we discovered she was thin.”
The hawk has a new name, Lucena, named after Gonzales’ daughter. It is currently resting in an avian shelter by itself and getting plenty of food to rebuild its strength.
Hawks are mother nature’s pest control and Lucena is fortunate a fellow technician came in the nick of time.
“Last week was cold. Being in a pool. She couldn’t get out. It doesn’t take long to get cold, waterlogged and they can start to get really debilitated," Gonzales said. "It could’ve done her in and especially being on the thin side. Probably didn’t have a lot of reserves. So, very lucky.”
Wild at Heart rescue hopes to release her Friday and Gonzales, who has been getting daily updates, plans to be there for the big moment.
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