As Hurricane Harvey drenched Texas and left a trail of destruction across the Lone Star State, a lonely hawk became a YouTube star after finding shelter with a friendly cab driver.

William Bruso of the coastal city of Houston uploaded a video on August 25, as the hurricane was still out to sea, saying "a Coopers hawk is seeking refuge in my car and does not want to leave".

Coopers are a medium-sized hawk native to the continental United States and parts of Canada and Mexico.

"He just doesn't want to go." ( YouTube: William Bruso )

The first video shows the hawk sitting on the far edge of the passenger seat, staring at Mr Bruso for a minute with a hunched posture and its wings not folded neatly.

Mr Bruso can be heard suggesting the bird might be frightened and might have sought refuge when the approach of Hurricane Harvey changed air pressure.

What do to if a wild animal needs your help Contact your nearest vet or wildlife carer organisation as soon as possible

your nearest vet or wildlife carer organisation as soon as possible The RSPCA has contact details for each state and territory

The RSPCA has contact details for each state and territory Wild animals become stressed by handling, so seek expert advice before handling an injured animal

Wild animals become stressed by handling, so Do not feed or treat it without specialist knowledge, training or advice

without specialist knowledge, training or advice If you have to move an injured animal, keep it safe, quiet, still and warm

If you have to move an injured animal, keep it If necessary, wrap it gently in a towel and place in a secure, well-ventilated box Source: RSPCA Australia

In the next video, he said the hawk had been chased by a cat.

Commenters on the video suggested the hawk's left wing might be injured or it might be stunned after a collision with a car or window, and many urged Mr Bruso to find a rehabilitation or wildlife centre as soon as possible.

Mr Bruno soon named the bird Harvey the Hurricane Hawk, and kept YouTube updated on Harvey's progress over a series of nine more videos.

In the second, posted soon after the first, he said Harvey "didn't want to leave" and was "just hanging out".

Harvey can be seen standing on the passenger seat with its wings and tail spread to brace against braking or cornering.

"He's a cool bird. But we have Hurricane Harvey approaching Houston … and I've got to get back on the road. I guess he'll just hang out with me until he wants to leave," Mr Bruso said.

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In the third video Mr Bruso repeatedly encourages Harvey, who is sitting on the top of the open passenger door of the taxi, to leave.

Harvey, who maintains his balance while his feathers are ruffled by rising winds, ignores all entreaties to fly.

"What do you do in a situation like this?" Mr Bruso asks after putting on gloves and picking up Harvey, who settles onto his hand.

"He just doesn't want to go."

"Keep him," two people say off-camera. "When he wants to go, he'll go."

Since Harvey insists upon staying with him, Mr Bruso decides to keep the bird safe during the storm then look for a wildlife carer.

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After having Harvey riding around in his taxi it may not be surprising that Mr Bruso felt comfortable enough to pick up the sleek, sharp-beaked predator, but a panicked hawk could easily cause blindness, and injury from a wild bird could lead to a potentially dangerous infection.

Harvey moved from the passenger seat to the dashboard as Mr Bruso picked up supplies to ride out the hurricane, then sat next to the bar in Mr Bruso's house and ate chicken hearts while Hurricane Harvey triggered tornadoes and flash floods elsewhere in Texas.

Commenters suggested Harvey was large enough to be a female but probably still a juvenile used to being fed by its parents, while Harvey's habit of holding its wings out could be due to either nervousness or trying to get moisture from increased humidity out of its feathers.

Harvey's story has a happy ending: Although Mr Bruso had thought he would have to wait until Tuesday (local time) to contact a wildlife carer, it was late on Saturday night when the final video showed Harvey being collected by Ivory Rose from the TWRC Wildlife Centre on the west side of Houston.

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