The Spirit Of Survival
In the wide-open skies above Lake County, a young Red-tailed Hawk soared with her wings stretched wide as she caught a promising spring breeze. An instant later, she clipped a high-voltage power line.
Upon arrival at The Bird Rescue Center (BRC) she was barely conscious. Her feathers—those she had left—quite literally looked like straw, and she had multiple areas of exposed bone and skin. As I examined her, watching her tissue slough off right before my eyes, my first thought was: “How is she even alive?” In her gaze I found my answer. I saw the spirit of survival. There was no mistaking that desire to live. My next thought was practical: “How are we ever going to get her to release?”
The truth is, at that moment I didn’t know.
I only knew that despite the severity of her injuries and knowing that the road to recovery would be long and uncertain, no one at BRC was going to turn away..
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Days turned to weeks, and weeks into months. She slowly regained strength. Her once razor-sharp talons had lost their edge, but that was one of her lesser problems. One wing was so damaged, it looked more like a rib cage than a wing. She traversed daily treatments, medications too numerous to detail, physical therapy, and more. Through it all, we did our best to ensure she was mentally stimulated. It was a labor of love that lasted for more than a year—18 months to be exact.
During that time, she became a symbol of resilience. The hawk remained grounded with wings unable to carry her, but her intense gaze glinted with a wildness that refused to fade. Our treatments continued, and as she healed, a natural process began to unfold—molting. Anticipation built as she shed her old, damaged feathers and new ones started to grow in their place. The result, however, was discouraging. The first molt was patchy, uneven, and far from complete. Although it was progress, it wasn’t nearly enough.
Months later, a second molt followed. This one was transformative. The feathers that emerged were sleek and strong, a rich brown tinged with the reddish hues characteristic of the species. This time, her wings gained back their former symmetry and strength. The transformation was remarkable—her wings looked perfect.
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It was time for her first flight, but would her wings be able to carry her?
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The tension was palpable as staff members and volunteers filled the flight hall. The hawk examined her surroundings. As if deciding, she tentatively flapped her wings. Then suddenly, the tentative flaps became powerful beats, and she soared into the air! The test flight was as perfect as the condition of her wings. But there was still one crucial step to master before the hawk could be truly free: she had to relearn how to hunt.
To survive in the wild, she couldn’t rely on the food we had been providing. She needed to hunt live prey. We began live prey training in a controlled environment. At first, she struggled. It had been over a year since she had last hunted, and her reflexes were slow, her movements uncertain. We introduced small prey into her enclosure, forcing her to track, dive, and capture as she would in the wild.​
It took time—weeks of trial and error—but gradually, she remastered her hunting instincts. Her focused eyes locked onto prey, and with each successful catch, her confidence grew. By the end, she was once again the skilled predator she had been before the accident. Her wings were now fully healed, and her body and mind were sharp. She was ready.
On a clear morning, our release team drove to Lake County. Once we arrived at the pre-scouted spot, we opened the carrier door. She hesitated. Her eyes trained on the horizon like she was intent on scanning the scene. I like to think she realized the significance of the moment. Then, with a powerful thrust of her now beautiful wings, she took to the sky. Circling ever higher, free once again, her wings strong and sure.
She had survived what should have been fatal, healed under the care
of those who refused to give up on her, and now she returned to the wild—whole once again..
In wildlife rehabilitation, there are no guarantees. But when the spirit of survival—this fierce will to live—meets the unwavering care of those who believe in their survival, miracles happen. And this Red-tailed Hawk, once thought too far gone, was proof of that. This story is a microcosm of nature’s raw resilience and humanity’s boundless compassion—a testament to what can be achieved when both come together with a singular purpose.
And none of this—the tireless work of staff members and volunteers, the hawk’s long road to recovery, or even her triumphant return to the wild—would be possible without one essential element: your generosity. Behind every bandage, every meal, and every hour spent caring for an injured bird is the quiet but vital support of people like you. Many of you have never set foot inside BRC, yet you play a crucial role in making miracles like this happen. You allow us to focus on the singular purpose of saving lives knowing we have the resources to do so. In the end, her flight to freedom was not just the result of human dedication and animal resilience, but also the kindness of those like you who care enough to give. Because of donors like you, the Red-tailed Hawk found her way back to the skies, where she truly belonged. Because of donors like you, thousands more will have the same opportunity.
Ashton Kluttz
Executive Director
PS Your gift today will sustain the ongoing efforst that give thousands of birds a second chance at life.
You're making an investment in saving lives right here in our own backyard.
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Thank you for making miracles happen this holiday season.