Red Tailed Hawk Rescue Stops Traffic Along Route 20

SUDBURY, MA — A red-tailed hawk was found injured along the Boston Post Road in Sudbury Wednesday, leading to a rescue involving local police and residents that briefly disrupted traffic.

Two passersby stopped to help the bird of prey around 10 a.m. along Route 20, according to Sudbury police. Town animal control officer Jennifer Condon responded to help get the bird out of the roadway while a Sudbury officer directed traffic.

Sudbury police said the hawk had suffered a broken wing and was in "guarded" condition at an animal hospital.

Red-tailed hawks are the most common found in Massachusetts. The species was nearly wiped out in the state by the 1930s due to habitat destruction, hunting and toxins. The hawks started to rebound in the 1960s and can now be found in every part of the state in cities, suburbs and rural areas, according to Mass Audubon.