A non-profit organization said a red-tailed hawk has made a complete recovery after a squirrel got stuck in her throat and the hawk had to be rescued by Lake County Animal Control.
Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation said they released the hawk back into the wild earlier this week.
The organization is a licensed non-profit wildlife rehabilitation center based in Barrington that cares for injured and orphaned wildlife.
The hawk was brought to the rehabilitation center by Lake County Animal Control with a squirrel “stuck partially down her throat and the rest hanging out.”
The non-profit said the squirrel had been stuck for some time based on the condition of the “poor deceased squirrel.”
The squirrel was able to be cut out of the hawk’s mouth and the hawk was able to digest the rest of the squirrel.
No surgery was required but it took the hawk some time to regain her strength.
The hawk made a complete recovery and the non-profit said they hope she learned to “tear off smaller pieces of dinner instead of swallowing whole prey.”