Ready, set, fly

Four, three, two, one - and just like that the appropriately named hawks - Uno, Dos, Tres and Cuatro - were off into the blue morning sky.

The four Harris' hawks were rescued from Pebblebrook Golf Course in Sun City West several months ago and re-released Wednesday morning near hole 16, where they were found.

Fallen Feathers, a Peoria bird rescue group, took care of the four birds, three of which were found as babies by a greenskeeper when they were blown from their nest in a palm tree on the course in March. The fourth hawk was rescued in May near 110th Avenue and Thunderbird Road in Sun City.

Martin Rios, a greenskeeper at Pebblebrook who found the trio of baby hawks, said the birds were tiny when he found them.

"There were four of them and one had died," he said. "They were just getting feathers so they were pretty small."

VIDEO: Click here to see video of the hawks being released.

The hawks were rehabilitated and trained to hunt and fly by members of the non-profit group, who said the birds are prepared for life in the wild. The birds learned to fly at Adobe Mountain Wildlife.

"It took us a good hour and a half to catch them in the pen in the flight school because it's about 20-feet high, about the size of two houses," said Jody Kieran, Fallen Feathers executive director. "They're fat and sassy and ready to go."

Fallen Feathers rescues about 1,000 birds of many breeds each year, Kieran said. The group is winding down from its busy season, usually December to September, when birds have their babies and young birds are most vulnerable.

The hawks were released together because Harris' hawks live in family units. These birds will likely remain as a group, said Delphia Janiszeski, assistant director.

"Harris' hawks live in family groups," she said. "They live in groups of three, sometimes five or seven. You'll usually see them with other Harris' hawks. They'll be in the same area. They communally hunt."

Janiszeski said Uno, Dos, Tres and Cuatro will probably remain at Pebblebrook, which she likened to a "buffet" for hawks, who eat small rodents like moles and other small birds.

"There's a lot of food here," she said. "The golf course is a good place."

For more information about Fallen Feathers or to donate call Jody Kieran at 623-533-2348 or visit www.fallenfeathers.org.

Erin Turner may be reached at 623-876-2522 or eturner@yourwestvalley.com.