Yesterday, I looked outside and heard an unfamiliar sound so I went to investigate.

What I had heard was the struggle of a Red-tailed hawk’s wings caught in some fruit tree netting I had sort of bunched up and left on the ground.

As I quietly creeped closer, I could see the hawk was flapping her wings and laboring to break free. I was petrified that she would injure herself.

I was able to crouch down and hold open the section of netting that was attached to her wing and she freed herself.

I have NEVER been that close to a hawk before, or any predator, and I really really wanted to pet her, but she gave me an angry look and flew away. Her beak and talons are absolutely enormous.

She didn’t look very happy and I can’t blame her. Fruit tree netting is notoriously dangerous for just that reason; birds become entangled and often injured in their attempts to extricate themselves, or perish. I immediately removed the netting and put it where no creature would find it.

I’m guessing that this hawk was trying to capture an early rodent dinner which makes me happy, but I’m sad that she got caught up in the netting and didn’t finish the hunt.

When a hawk gets caught in a fruit tree net and you help it escape, it carries meaning on two levels: a highly significant spiritual or symbolic message.

Here is what this powerful encounter means:

Spiritual and Symbolic Meaning

In many cultures and spiritual traditions, hawks are seen as messengers from the divine, representing vision, perspective, and guardianship.

• Breaking Free from a Trap: The netting represents an invisible or sudden restriction in your own life—such as an unhealthy routine, a toxic mindset, or a limiting belief. Seeing the hawk break free with your help is a sign that you are capable of overcoming current obstacles and reclaiming your freedom.
• An Awakening of Perspective: Hawks have incredible vision. This encounter suggests you need to step back and look at the “big picture” of a situation rather than getting bogged down in minor details.
• An Act of Interconnectedness: By stepping in to save a powerful predator, you have aligned yourself with nature. Spiritually, this acts as a karmic boost, symbolizing that you have the power, compassion, and courage to be a protector and a force for good.

Still, it was my fault and I told her how sorry I was for being careless with the netting. However, if more hawks and owls and coyotes and bobcats came to visit, I wouldn’t be inundated with rats that eat all my apples and plums, and I wouldn’t have to protect the trees from being ravaged.

I hope she returns because there are lots of rodents and rabbits and squirrels around here. Yum.

(The featured photo was taken on a different day and I’m not sure it’s the same hawk.)