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Red-tailed hawk reunites with bander in Monroe County

It's a reunion more than 25 years in the making; a bird banded nearly three decades ago was reunited with the man who did the job.

STROUDSBURG, Pa. — Less than a foot from each other, Jere Schade looks at a red-tailed hawk recovering inside its cage at The Wilderz at Pocono Wildlife near Stroudsburg. 

They both know each other. 

It's the bird he banded more than 25 years ago in November of 1996 in Wind Gap. 

"I read that I was alone that day and I caught 10 red tails and a goshawk," Schade said. "So I looked at my photos and I have photos from the day and this is the bird that is still alive."

Schade is a Hawk Bander and has been for more than 30 years.

Banding a bird means putting a band on a bird's leg for research about its behavior and life.  

"Banding recoveries were the only way that we knew what migratory route they took. Where they spent the winter, what dangers they were exposed to," Schade said.

The red-tailed hawk was found on the Waste Management Property in Pen Argyl a week ago. 

The bird was brought to the wildlife center to recover after he was found shot.

"He's got a stiff leg and he's just needing a little bit of recuperation. We don't know if he's going to be able to be released or not. But we're hoping and we're just slowly trying to rehab him. Moving his legs around, getting him more mobile, and right now he's not able of preaching," said Susan Downing, Co-executive director at the wildlife center. 

This red-tailed hawk is now listed as one of the oldest birds ever recorded in the United States Bird Banding Laboratory.

Schade says about 80% of red-tailed hawks don't make it past their first year alive. 

That's why it's so important we band them. 

"It is for the four oldest birds on record and again this is out of 200,400 red tails. So it's pretty exciting that just not only to recover the bird but to recover the bird after 28 maybe plus years is incredible," Schade said.

The wildlife center is taking the bird's recovery day by day. 

Volunteers are asking you to keep the red-tailed hawk in your prayers.

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