A hawk has become an unlikely hero after helping to keep pigeons away from a hospital to maintain safety and cleanliness for patients and staff.
Tex, a one-year-old Harris hawk, patrols the skies above Watford General Hospital as part of a specialist bird-control programme run by West Herts Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
The bird’s work has been highlighted as part of Healthcare Estates and Facilities Day, which celebrates the often unseen teams who help hospitals operate safely every day.
Harrison, Tex’s handler, said:
“Because he’s imprinted on me, he almost sees himself as human. He doesn’t really understand that he’s a bird, which means he’s not very interested in other birds.”
The bird plays a key role in discouraging pigeons from nesting around the hospital site, helping reduce health risks and keeping buildings and grounds clean for patients, visitors and staff.
The hawk is part of a wider estates and facilities operation that includes catering, portering and fire safety services across the trust.
Harrison said he began training Tex when the bird was about six weeks old, gradually introducing him to free flight before he started working around hospital sites at 17 weeks old.
Stacy Pannett, Specialist Services Operations Manager at AGS One Pest Control, said:
“Falconry offers an effective, environmentally responsible, and humane approach to pest bird management at Watford General Hospital.”
The bird of prey has also become a point of interest for staff, patients and visitors, many of whom are surprised to see a hawk on hospital grounds.
Feature image: West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
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