A Wing in the Door: Adventures with a Red-Tailed Hawk

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

McQuay’s contorted writing style and addiction to philosophical
digressions make wading through this book an exercise in perseverance.
Only readers fanatical in their desire to learn about red-tailed hawks
will persist with this jumble of self-conscious prose.

The author lives on a conservation area where a young hawk, imprinted
on humans, is released. Although free to fly away at any time, the hawk
sees itself as part of the family. It comes to the house to beg for
food; “helps” with the gardening; builds its nest on the porch;
follows the author on walks; interacts with the kids, dogs, and cats;
and generally takes part in the day-to-day life of the family for five
years. With a few exceptions, the photos included to document this
activity are out of focus and muddy.

Descriptions of the semi-tame hawk’s actions and attitudes are
supplemented with sidebars of more factual information on red-tails and
on the history and practice of falconry. Unfortunately, the sidebars are
not at the side but wedged jarringly into the narrative. Added to the
mix are excessive amounts of chatter about dogs, deer, cats, hunters,
wolf kills, and even the school system.

This should have been a fascinating work with much to contribute to our
knowledge of red-tails. For lack of discipline and editing, the effort
is wasted.