PORTLAND, Maine — Avian Haven published a Facebook post Tuesday with an unfortunate update -- the rare Peruvian hawk caught in a snowstorm earlier this month will now lose at least two toes on each foot to frostbite.
The announcement comes after a group of cross-country skiers found the bird earlier this month suffering outside during one of the first big snowstorms of the season. The skiers called Avian Haven, a bird rescue group in Freedom, where the hawk was taken for treatment and has been staying since.
The hawk was first spotted in a Portland park in November 2018 and began to make headlines as a rare, celebrity bird. Great Black Hawks usually live in environments like Mexico, Central America, Peru, and sometimes as far south as northern Argentina -- so it is unusual to see them in the United States. Unfortunately, Avian Haven says the colder habitat is likely one reason the bird's feet caught frostbite.
The rescue group addressed the possibility of prosthetic feet but noted that this option may be difficult, since both of the bird's feet were affected, rather than just one.
For now, Avian Haven is planning to do further diagnostic tests and is thankful for the prayers, good wishes, love, and support from around the community for the beautiful bird.
