Earlier this year a magnificent red-tailed hawk was seeking shelter in a tree during a monsoon storm when suddenly the tree was struck by lightning and burst into flames!
Tucson firefighters were battling the growing blaze when the stunned hawk fell out of the tree from a great height and onto the ground. The water drenched hawk was brought to TWC and examined by one of our wildlife veterinarians, who quickly sprang into action providing emergency medical treatment for the hawk.
The hawk’s wings and feathers were damaged from the fire and lightning, and she would need time to heal from her injuries. But she survived!
After medical treatment and continued care, the hawk recovered rapidly. Once she proved to be in good health, she underwent a procedure to replace the feathers that had been burned in the fire. This procedure will allow her to hunt and fly normally while her new feathers grow back. After getting her feathers replaced, this gorgeous red-tailed hawk received flight exercise to build her strength in TWC’s large flight enclosure. Once she had demonstrated her abilities to fly swiftly and strongly with agility, she was ready for release and taken back to her territory. Another success!
