Hawk Crash-Lands in Lexington School Bus

Around this time of year, many students start thinking school is for the birds. Apparently, they aren't the only ones. 

A red-tailed hawk tried to hitch a ride on a Lexington school bus today, May 31, before it was coaxed off the bus by officers from the Lexington and Environmental Police departments.

Ellen Murphy, a bus driver for the Lexington Public Schools, said she parked her bus outisde her North Street home and heard what sounded like a knock on the door. But there was no one there, so she didn't really think about it too much at the time. Now, she realizes it was probably the female red-tailed flying into the bus.

"It was one of those, it-had-to-happen-to-me-to-believe-it kind of things," said Murphy. "I got on the bus to leave and she came out from where she was between the seats and I saw it. So then I ran off the bus and around to open up the door, because I thought maybe she would fly out the back."

Then Murphy ran to a neighbor's house to fetch help and call the police. Minutes later, officers arrived on the scene, including Stephanie Doucette, the animal control officer.

Doucette explained birds will see the reflection of trees in glass and believe they are flying toward open air, when in fact they are heading straight toward a window.

"She was lucky enough to fly through an open window," said Doucette of the hawk who landed inside Murphy's bus. "She probably conked her head on the other side and had her bell rung."

After arriving on the scene, Doucette and Lexington Police sought assistance from the Environmental Police. Officer Paul Norton arrived from Danvers a little more than 45 minutes later.

In the meantime, Doucette got an up-close look at the bird and said she appeared to be in excellent health and was not likely carrying any diseases, which means there should be no health concerns for students riding the bus later in the afternoon.

When Norton responded to the scene, he and Doucette noted the bird's condition and position on the bus. Noticing no blood or obvious injuries, they decided to try and push her toward the back of the bus, in hopes that she would fly away.

The hawk was camped out under a seat near the middle of the bus, so Norton armed himself with a broom and got down on his stomach, using the broom to gently nudge the hawk toward the back door.

Moments later, the hawk balanced on the edge of the back door before taking off with a screech, circling once and landing on a tree branch high above Murphy's home. 

Norton said he has responded to many calls reporting birds in homes, automobiles and porches. But this was the first time he had ever seen a hawk in a school bus, he said.

The whole ordeal took place over a period of approximately 90 minutes, with the hawk flying off at about 1:45 p.m., which gave Murphy plenty of time to make her afternoon runs.