Meet Rufus, the hawk with one of Wimbledon’s most important jobs

Before the gates open and Centre Court fills with spectators, one of Wimbledon’s longest-serving team members is already on patrol. His name is Rufus, a Harris’s hawk whose daily job is to keep pigeons and other birds away from the All England Club’s world-famous grass courts.

It may sound like an unusual role at a Grand Slam tournament, but it’s one organisers have relied on for years. Birds can damage carefully maintained lawns, leave droppings on the courts and even interrupt play at crucial moments. Rather than using loud deterrents or modern gadgets, Wimbledon turns to nature.

Rufus first took to the skies above Wimbledon in 2008, continuing a bird-control programme that began years earlier. According to the Los Angeles Times, he flies every morning around 4 a.m. BST, before players begin practising and fans arrive, sweeping across the grounds and occasionally drawing curious glances from groundskeepers and early staff.

Rufus has become something of a celebrity himself. Visitors often stop to photograph him, and many regular Wimbledon followers recognise him almost as readily as some of the tournament’s biggest stars. His fame even extends beyond the Championships; in 2012, his disappearance after being stolen from his handler’s vehicle made international headlines before he was safely recovered.

Image: Wikimedia Commons/by Jules Verne Times Two