It is assumed that if you are looking for emergency information at this location that the raptor in question is either in your possession or nearby where you can keep an eye on it. The first and most important thing to do at this point is to call a Wildlife Rehabilitator in your area. Your state division of wildlife management, the Department of the Interior - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, your local veterinarian, area animal shelters, state or local police or animal control officer should be able to supply you with information on how to contact them.

You can search the following for your state's government agencies:

http://www.searchgov.com/directory/

Your local Wildlife Rehabilitator will direct you on how to proceed.

There are 26 species of hawks in North America. 17 are called hawks, 4 eagles and 5 are called kites. They are fierce hunters, and birds of prey. They are capable of amazing flight speeds and are able to "ride" wind currents seemingly with little or no effort. Hawks are able to capture their prey in midair. There are three different kinds or types of hawks: buteos, accipiters and harriers. Buetos wings are broad and round, and a broad fanned tail. Redtail hawks fall into this category. Accipiter hawks have narrow, long tails, with short, broad wings. sharp shinned and Coopers hawks are in this category. Harriers are slender, with slightly rounded wings, with long bodies and tails. This type includes the Northern Harrier or marsh hawk.

There are 18 species of owls in North America. The more common types include Great Horned, Barn, Screech (Western & Eastern), Snowy, Saw-Whet, Long Eared, Short Eared. Owls often share territories with eagles and hawks. Because they are nocturnal hunters, this causes little conflict. Owls are stealth at night by virtue of their noiseless flight feathers. They are extraordinary nocturnal hunters because of their tremendous eyesight. They can see more than 100 times better at night than humans can. However, owls are unable to move their eyes, but their heads can swivel up to 270 degrees on their necks. Sound is another method they use to hunt, having the largest eardrum of any bird. They also can position feathers to increase the sensitivity of their hearing, like cupping your ears to hear better. Owls are voracious rodent and insect eaters.