Eagle was ’stolen to order’

The heartbroken owner of a rare bird of prey which was snatched from an aviary at her Black Country home believes it could have been stolen to order.

Sandra Smith said the Harris Hawk, which is worth about £350, must have been taken by someone who knew it was there and who had experience of handling dangerous birds.

Thieves struck at Mrs Smith’s home in Redhill Place, Hunnington, Halesowen, sometime between 4pm on January 31 and 9am on February 1, cutting the locks on the aviary with boltcutters before taking the bird.

The 62-year-old had helped raise the seven-year-old bird, named Shadow, from a chick after it was given to her son, Michael, by a family friend. Mrs Smith, who suffers from bronchitis and asthma, said the theft had left her “devastated”.

“I’ve raised him since he was a chick and he was a beautiful bird,” she said. “Whenever I went down the garden to put my washing out he would squawk at me to say “hello”.

“I couldn’t believe it when I went to feed him and saw the locks cut and he had been taken. I thought I was going to pass out.

“I didn’t hear any noise which makes me think whoever took him knew what they were doing because they must have put something over his head to quieten him. Harris Hawks are very rare birds and the police told me if they caught whoever stole him they would be looking at five to ten years in prison.”

Harris Hawks are large birds of prey found in the USA, Chile and Argentina.

They have dark brown plumage with chestnut shoulders, wing linings and thighs; are white on the base and tip of the tail; and have long yellow legs and a yellow head.

Pc Mike Roberts, from Hagley Police Station, said it was a rare and protected bird which could be dangerous in the wrong hands. Anyone with information should call Hagley Police on 08457 444888.