Red-tailed hawk joins rodentcide hearing, rally

BOSTON — The red-tailed hawk from the New England Wildlife Center known as Falco returned to Beacon Hill on Monday as animal rights advocates promoted legislation to curtail the use of rodenticides that can be harmful across the food chain.

Falco clung onto the gloved hand of Zak Mertz, the center’s CEO, at the State House steps while surrounded by supporters who wore owl ear headbands and held posters that read, “Rat poison is raptor poison,” “Don’t poison our food” and “Say no to rat poison!!!”