A former inmate has been sentenced to 45 days in jail after a video surfaced showing him pouring alcohol into the beak of a rescued hawk.
Cesar Gustavo Diaz, 25, took a young Cooper’s hawk from Amelia Mayberry Park in South Whittier, Los Angeles, back in June 2025.
The clip posted on YouTube depicts Diaz giving the hawk a Buzz Ball cocktail, accompanied by the caption “Playing with my buddy. Hawk loves Buzz Ball.” In another part of the footage, the hawk is seen with a cigarette seemingly hanging from its mouth.
This video triggered a backlash from animal rights advocates, prompting the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to initiate an investigation.
They executed five search warrants and traced Diaz, who was already incarcerated for unrelated offenses. Authorities suspect that Diaz let the hawk go before they could intervene, which leaves the bird’s fate uncertain.
The matter has been forwarded to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, where Diaz faces felony charges for animal cruelty as well as misdemeanor charges for confining a wild animal.
Last week, he pleaded no contest to these charges.
Along with jail time and probation, Diaz is required to complete 20 days of community service, attend 24 counseling sessions focused on animal cruelty, refrain from contact with animals for five years, avoid firearms for a decade, and pay a fine of $220.
Cooper’s hawks are protected under both California and federal regulations.
