IT'S not often you get a bird stuck in a tree – they can fly after all – but that wasn't the case last Saturday (July 16) for one hapless harris hawk.

The escapee bird of prey, a native of South America, had tangled its lanyard (the chord attached to its leg) around the branch of a tree about 20 metres up.

Its hawk eyed owner, spotted the entangled raptor and called the fire service who turned up to rescue the bird at around 3pm near Moorend.

Station Manager George Bryant and a rope rescue team from Lydney with six firefighters were sent to the incident and, working with the RSPCA, managed to release the bird.

It was handed back to its grateful owner and may ponder on flying the coop again.