As part of Healthcare Estates and Facilities Day on Wednesday 17 June, West Herts Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is celebrating one of their Estates and Facilities stars: Tex the Hawk.
Tex, who is a one-year-old Harris Hawk, plays vital behind-the-scenes role that keeps Watford General Hospital running safely by deterring pigeons from nesting on the site.
Tex is a part of an important service at West Herts Hospitals. He joins a team who comprise of many different departments. From fire safety to catering and portering services, estates and facilities colleagues at West Herts play a vital role in the day to day running of the hospitals.
Healthcare Estates and Facilities Day a national day celebrating this essential work of estates and facilities professions. It’s an opportunity to showcase the unsung heroes who keep hospitals operating safely and highlight critical importance of estates and facilities services in the delivery of care to our patients.
Pigeons can pose a health risk and become a nuisance. Working alongside his handler, Harrison, Tex’s presence alone discourages pigeons from the site, helping to keep the hospital safe and clean for patients, visitors and staff.
Tex is an environmentally friendly and effective solution to pest control. Harrison, who is Tex’s handler, has trained Tex from about six weeks old. It was a slow and steady process of training him and then letting him free fly.
Tex began flying at around 17 weeks old and has since become used to working in hospital environments. Harrison explains that Tex’s unique personality also sets him apart.
Harrison explains: “Because he’s imprinted on me, he almost sees himself as human. He doesn’t really understand that he’s a bird, which means he’s not very interested in other birds.”
Tex occasionally encounters resistance from local crows, which naturally view hawks as predators and will attempt to drive them away. However, Tex remains largely unbothered by the crows.
When Tex visits hospital sites, he quickly becomes a point of interest for staff and patients who fascinated to see a hawk in such an unexpected setting.
Stacy Pannett, Specialist Services Operations Manager at AGS One Pest Control, said: “Falconry offers an effective, environmentally responsible, and humane approach to pest bird management at Watford General Hospital. Unlike many conventional bird-control methods, falconry can adapt to changing conditions and target specific problem areas around the hospital with minimal disruption to hospital operations.”