Friday July 11th, 2014 was an exciting day for Pippin, the Ohio Bird Sanctuary’s resident peregrine falcon!
Pippin arrived at the Sanctuary in October of 2013 during the Fall Family Festival. He had been struck by a vehicle and had suffered damage to one of his wings. Pippin’s injuries left him unable to fly and consequently unable to hunt and survive in the wild. Peregrine falcons rely on flight when they hunt. After spotting prey from a high perch, they dive down upon it, reaching speeds of over 200 miles per hour!
During the winter, Pippin developed sores on his feet, which have prevented him from being able to live in one of the Sanctuary’s outdoor enclosures, due to the possibility of infection. Until now! Pippin’s feet were declared safe for outdoor living and the staff at the Sanctuary relocated him to a newly designed enclosure. It was hard to say who was more excited--Pippin or the staff!
We watched as he tested out his new perches, clearly showing us that he is able to maneuver with ease. It only took a few minutes for him to find the best spot to spread his wings and soak up the sun.
Come out to the Sanctuary and visit Pippin in his new place!
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| Pippin's Clinic Home |
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| Pippin's New Outdoor Enclosure |
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| Handsome Pippin! |
What a lovely story! Will he ever be returned to the wild?
ReplyDeleteThank you! We think he is quite handsome. His wing injury will prevent him from being released. He is an ambassador of his species at the Ohio Bird Sanctuary.
Deletewow lovely creature and useful article. Lets hope for his safe return to his home
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful the hawks, I remember when I was little, my father and I took our hiking backpack and went out to the forest to enjoy the animals, before they looked at many hawks in freedom
ReplyDelete