Bald eagles are huge, majestic birds. They rule the territory they claim as their own; any animal smaller than them is food. A young hawk, captured by a bald eagle, almost certainly faces doom. The eagle’s intention is most probably to provide lunch for the eaglets waiting in the nest. As the hawk was dropped into the nest, something pretty amazing happened.
As the young hawk was put into the eagle’s nest, it turned, holding its beak open and begging for food. The little hawk is a survivor. The evil step-siblings eventually tossed the hawk out of the nest. The hawk got another lucky break at the Pacific Wildlife Care (PWC) rescue facility.
RTHA 1516 has been in PWC’s care for about three weeks. He is now recovering in an offsite aviary, where he can practice flying and improve his hunting skills. He is learning to hunt live prey. The next step in his continuing care will be a veterinarian check-up in a few weeks. If the vet clears him, he will have a “soft release.” That means he will be freed on the sanctuary grounds but can return to caregivers for food if necessary. As he becomes more sure of himself, he will eventually make a home in the forest, take a mate, and raise a hawk family of his own.
This is not the first time a strange adoption has occurred in the wild. Many animal species will adopt foundlings and raise them as their own. However, it is extremely rare for a bald eagle to adopt a red-tailed hawk. This hawk now has a fighting chance after almost being lunch for the bald eagle family. Please share this amazing story of survival.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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