The cage of the Wimbledon tennis hawk stolen from a parked car has been spotted abandoned in a hedge, said the bird's owner.
Imogen Davies said the manufacturer of the travel box had been contacted by someone who said they had seen it with a bird inside.
Rufus the hawk is used to scare away pigeons at the tennis tournament in south-west London.
He was stolen from Dunstall Road, Wimbledon, on Thursday night.
Ms Davies said a search would be carried out.
The manufacturer, Falcon Fabrication, was contacted on Friday morning by somebody who said the box was in Southfields, south-west London, and that it contained "an eagle".
So far, the travel cage has not been located.
Ms Davies said: "It definitely gives us hope. We are going to be out in force looking for it."
Martin Underwood took the phone call. He said a young man had told him: "I think I've found something that belongs to you."
At the time, Mr Underwood was unaware a hawk was missing. He recommended the man hand the box in to the police or the RSPCA.
He said he had since been phoning clients and posting messages on Facebook to try to track the bird down.
The four-year-old harris hawk is used to scare pigeons away from roosting on the roof of Centre Court in the mornings before spectators arrive.
This year for the first time, he was kept overnight in a parked car instead of being driven from Corby in Northamptonshire each day for his 05:30 BST start.
Asked how often he needs to be fed, Ms Davies said: "When we fly him he is fed a few times daily. He mainly eats quail or chicken but he would eat any meat.
"He would certainly be getting hungry."
Mr Underwood said he had experienced having a bird stolen last year.
He said the bird was working in Liverpool when it went missing and somebody phoned the telephone number on the bird's claw ring accusing him of being cruel.
A falconry glove and hood were also stolen with Rufus.
Officers from Wimbledon CID are investigating the theft.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the All England Lawn Tennis Club said that one of Rufus's "pals", Hector, had been drafted in so there was no increased risk of pigeons becoming a nuisance on Centre Court.
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