Scarlett (also known as ‘Big Red’), a red-tailed hawk came to us last summer after being hit by a car. She suffered a broken right wing at the wrist joint. The injury also damaged her follicles and her primary flight feathers - located on the outer part of the wing, crucial for flight, speed, and maneuverability - did not grow back. We also found out that she was blind on her right side.
She spent time in an enclosure with two other red-tailed hawks, Sienna and Rocket. Observing her behavior, we found that she had a temperament suitable for an educational bird. We started her on the manning process and she has been coming along. Knowing that she had a blind spot helped in her training.
She got her first taste of stardom when she recently posed for a magazine cover photo shoot with Paul Rosolie, the American conservationist, author, and founder of Junglekeepers, a nonprofit protecting rainforest in Peru’s Madre de Dios region. It will not be Scarlett’s last time in the spotlight.