A 25‑year‑old man in the United States has been sentenced to 45 days in jail after video footage surfaced showing him giving alcohol to a protected hawk, US media reported on Feb. 25.
Cesar Gustavo Diaz, from the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, captured the juvenile Cooper’s hawk at Amelia Mayberry Park in South Whittier last June, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
In the widely circulated video, posted to YouTube and flagged by members of the public, Diaz is seen pouring an alcoholic drink from a green BuzzBallz container directly into the bird’s mouth.
Screenshots released by CDFW appear to show the young raptor drinking from the can, an image that prompted wildlife officials to launch a formal investigation with their Special Operations Unit.
Authorities executed five judge‑approved search warrants and, with help from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, identified Diaz, who was already in custody on unrelated charges and later interviewed him.
Diaz was charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty and unlawfully capturing or confining wildlife, allegations that carry special weight because Cooper’s hawks are protected under both federal and California law.
On Feb. 19, Diaz entered a no‑contest plea to the animal cruelty charge in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
In addition to the 45‑day jail term, 44 of which he had already served due to credit for good behaviour, the sentence includes 12 months of summary probation, 20 days of community labour, and completion of a 24‑session animal cruelty counselling programme.
The court also imposed a five‑year ban on possessing animals, a 10‑year firearms prohibition, and a US$220 fine.
The CDFW emphasised that harming or harassing wildlife is illegal and reminded the public that species like the Cooper’s hawk are protected to ensure their survival and wellbeing.
