On a Monday evening, fourth-year undergraduate Heron Schleeter was leaving class from McGregor Hall when an unusual sound stopped them mid-walk.
“I heard this banging against the windows,” Schleeter said. “At first I couldn’t tell where it was coming from, but then I saw glass on the ground and realized there was a hawk inside Main Hall.”
The bird was later identified as an adult female Cooper’s hawk. The hawk was flying around inside the building, unable to find its way out. Schleeter notified Public Safety and once they confirmed that the hawk was inside Main Hall they requested Schleeter’s assistance.
Schleeter has a unique qualification: previous co-op experience with the Glen Helen Raptor Center and WildCare Inc., another native wildlife rehabilitation center where they learned proper techniques for safely handling potentially injured wildlife.
“That experience really kicked in,” Schleeter said. “Knowing how to read an animal’s stress levels and when to act made a big difference.”
Inside Main Hall, Schleeter and Public Safety Officer Teri-Lynn Rush navigated the auditorium and nearby rooms as the hawk flew between windows, growing increasingly tired. Without the proper equipment on hand, Schleeter improvised by using protective gloves and a coat to safely cover and grasp the hawk once it dropped to the ground.
After securing the hawk, Schleeter noticed signs of injury, including blood on its forehead and unusual wing position. With the Raptor Center closed for the night, the hawk needed temporary care.
Several people from the Antioch community offered help. Members of the dining hall staff and students helped Schleeter find a box and towels. Another student provided a kennel for overnight housing.
The next morning, Schleeter transported the hawk to the Raptor Center where the staff later confirmed the hawk had no broken wings or neurological damage. Instead, it appeared to have burned foot pads, likely from landing on a hot pipe inside Main Hall.
The hawk is currently stable and undergoing rehabilitation. Raptor Center staff hope to release the hawk back to Antioch’s campus before February.
“It felt really uplifting,” Schleeter said. “I developed these skills off campus, and being able to bring them back to help a non-human member of our community meant a lot.”