He is a much loved, often photographed and greatly watched resident of Westminster, Colorado. He has lived near the Legacy Golf Course for at least eight years and raised a successful brood each year. His mate is a normal colored Red Tailed Hawk. He is an albinistic (partial albino) Red Tailed Hawk.
On April 19, of this year he arrived with blood and dirt stains on his brilliant white feathers, trailing his left wing on the ground. He was reported to have been struck by a golf ball, sustaining a serious fracture to his left humerus. Two days later he underwent surgery by our fabulous Veterinarian, Dr. Lee Eggleston of Colorado Springs.
I named the bird “MyHawk” due to all the inquiries from people that have a special place in their hearts for this unique bird: “How is My Hawk doing?”
On May 16th the steel pin in his wing was removed, and on May 21h 2008 he was moved outside into our 100 foot flight cage to begin his recovery by exercising and working hard to fly across the cage effortlessly.
My Hawk is magnificent and rather arrogant. He seems to know he is special. The first thing he did when I removed him from his carrier was bite me in the finger hard enough to draw blood. Even that was an honor.
During all the weeks of his stay in ICU he kept his distance as each day we presented “alms” of good intention. However, he never missed a meal.
He has a dark spot on the back of his head, dark, beautiful brown eyes and three red feathers on right side of his tail tail. His talons are ivory white but his beak is black.
I have a folder on my desktop that is called “White Things”. Someone sent me a photograph of him long before he was injured. It is our hope that he will recover and be returned to his home soon to raise many more generations of Red Tailed Hawks with his spirit and attitude in the future. What a special bird he is!
Comments
I am so happy to learn that “Cloud” (that’s what a friends daughter nicknamed My Hawk) is not dead but in fact only healing. I have missed seeing him on my daily work route. Thank you for taking care of him!
I have been wondering how “MyHawk” is doing. I hope he is mending well and will soon be returned to his natural habitat.
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