State-protected hawk given a joint, BuzzBall on video, officials say

Not only is it a bad idea to feed birds alcohol, but to then record it and have it posted online as evidence? Well, that could get you a jail sentence.

That was the lesson a Los Angeles man learned last week when he was sentenced to 45 days in jail after he gave a Cooper’s hawk a BuzzBall, a type of ready-to-serve cocktail known for its fruity flavor, and a video of him doing it was posted to YouTube.

Cesar Gustavo Diaz, 25, of Watts pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty Feb. 19. He was also ordered to serve 12 months of probation and 20 days of community labor, and to complete a 24-session animal cruelty counseling program, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a news release.

Authorities acted after a video posted online showed Cesar Gustavo Diaz pouring an alcoholic beverage into the hawk’s mouth.

(California Department of Fish and Wildlife)

Diaz captured the juvenile hawk at Amelia Mayberry Park in South Whittier in June 2025 and poured the alcoholic beverage into its mouth, authorities said. According to its website, a BuzzBall contains about 15% alcohol.

Another clip posted to YouTube showed the bird with a joint in its mouth, said Trevor Pell, a lieutenant specialist with the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s law enforcement division, who investigated the case.

“This fact pattern is definitely an unusual one,” Pell said. “We deal with violations regarding raptors and birds of prey on a relative frequency but I haven’t seen anything to this level of disregard for the animal in quite a while.”

People who saw the YouTube video alerted state wildlife officials, prompting the investigation. Diaz is a convicted felon and was already in custody on unrelated charges at the time, and he released the hawk before he was charged, investigators said.

He’s since been released from custody after receiving credit for time served, Pell said.

Diaz is also prohibited from possessing animals for five years, and from possessing firearms for 10 years, according to the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Cooper’s hawks are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, as well as state law, which protects all raptors.

Nick Buckler, captain of the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s special operations unit, credited members of the public with bringing the video to the attention of investigators.

“Something like this, which is relatively bizarre and shocking to the conscience of the public, generally comes to our unit, and we follow up in this kind of fashion,” he said, “so we really appreciate the tips.”