Help Along Our Roadways
2020-08-06
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While Illinois Tollway customers may be familiar with the roadway assistance offered to drivers in need on the road, many don’t know that the Tollway’s Roadway Maintenance team also assists in unexpected ways. On June 16, a customer reported an injured hawk on the side of Illinois Route 390 Tollway near the I-290 Interchange. The Tollway dispatched roadway maintenance staff, Ricky Raimonde and Tony Caloia, to the site, and indeed they found a a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk approximately 16 to 18 inches in length with a broken wing.
Raimonde safely captured the bird, who was agitated and ready rumble, while Caloia found a large box to serve as a cage. Once back at the Tollway maintenance site, supervisor Brian Fuqua went on the hunt to find a rehabilitation center. Eventually, he notified the Department of Natural Resources, and the hawk was picked up and delivered it to Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Barrington.
We are happy to report that the hawk is on the mend and still residing at the rehabilitation center. Founded in 2003, Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation is a state and federally licensed, private, not-for-profit wildlife rehabilitation center dedicated to the care of injured and orphaned wildlife and to educating the public about wildlife and wildlife-related issues. Flint Creek Wildlife treats all species of wild birds, reptiles and amphibians and treats all wild mammals excluding skunks, bats and raccoons.