A neighbor spotted a struggling Red-tailed Hawk right on our property line and quickly alerted us. When we admitted her, we were shocked at her condition. Not only was she severely emaciated and dehydrated, but she also had trauma in both eyes, poor feather quality, and advanced “bumblefoot” in both feet—a painful bacterial infection from pressure ulcers that had spread deep into her soft tissue. 

Her recovery has been one of the most intensive journeys we’ve managed. In the early days, her dehydration was so severe that she was receiving fluids every 2 hours. She required months of daily foot-soaks, cleanings, bandage changes, multiple surgeries to remove infected tissue, and tube feeding until her body was strong enough for solid food. Our veterinary team went above and beyond for her as well, helping us navigate each new challenge that arose. Slowly, step by step, she has begun to stand, eat, and heal. 

We will continue to update you about “20” on our social media (Instagram, Facebook and TikTok) and in our next newsletter. The work we do, the accomplishments we achieve, are made possible by a dedicated and highly skilled team. Our professional staff! They represent more than 90 years of collective avian experience. It gives us great pride to highlight and reflect on their countless successes.