ROSSMOOR — Imagine that you come home from a nice round of golf and perhaps a late-afternoon walk, open your front door, and find a massive bird of prey with a four-foot wingspan perched on your shower door.
That’s exactly what happened to one local last week. (Well, we don’t know about the golf part. But the bird part is, as you’ll see below, both true and pretty crazy).
A red-tailed hawk gave one Rossmoor resident a shock last Friday after it blasted through her bedroom window and ended up perched inside the home. Contra Costa County Fire’s Engine 4 responded, apparently nabbed the bird with a towel in the resident’s shower, and guided it back outside.
What Happened
Con Fire shared that the call came on Nov. 7 in Rossmoor, the 55+ community in Walnut Creek. Crews from Engine 4 found a red-tailed hawk inside the residence and eased it back outdoors without injury.
A brief video and photo set posted by the district show the close-quarters rescue.
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Where This Was
Rossmoor is a gated, active-adult community in Walnut Creek’s Tice Valley, with golf courses and lots of open space — habitat that routinely attracts raptors.
Just How Big Are Red-Tailed Hawks?
They’re among the largest hawks you’ll see in the Bay Area. Typical wingspan runs about 45–52 inches — more than 4 feet — with chunky bodies and broad, rounded wings. Seeing one spread out in a bedroom makes it look even bigger.
Why A Hawk Might End Up Inside
Raptors sometimes chase prey toward windows or confuse reflections for open sky. Suburban greenbelts and golf-course edges — like the areas around Rossmoor — are classic red-tailed hawk territory, so occasional close encounters do happen.
If A Raptor Flies Into Your House — Do This
- Keep people and pets back, close interior doors, and open exterior windows/doors to give the bird an exit.
- Do not try to feed or water it, and avoid handling it — call experts.
- In central Contra Costa County, Lindsay Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital in Walnut Creek can advise by phone and accept injured wildlife during posted hours. You can also consult the state list of licensed wildlife rehabilitators.
The Good News
In this case, firefighters report the hawk looked healthy and flew away once outside — a happy ending and a memorable morning for one very surprised Rossmoor neighbor.
