An injured and sick hawk, who is estimated to be nearly 15 years old, was rescued by Lake County Animal Control and is receiving care at a wildlife rehabilitation center.
Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation said on Sunday that they were contacted by Lake County Animal Control.
The organization is a licensed non-profit wildlife rehabilitation center based in Barrington that cares for injured and orphaned wildlife.
Animal control brought an adult Red-tailed Hawk to the rehabilitation center for treatment.
Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation said they noticed the hawk’s “gorgeous” chocolate-brown eyes, which indicated he was an older adult.
“Based on his eye color, I estimated that he was at least 8 years old – quite an achievement for a hawk in the wild,” the organization said.
According to a USGS database, the hawk was banded in October 2009 in Wisconsin as a juvenile, indicating he is over 14 years old and possibly just months shy of 15.
“This hawk is officially the oldest banded raptor that we have ever admitted,” the organization said.
The hawk has an old metacarpal fracture that is already healing. He cannot fly because he is missing all of his primary feathers on the injured wing.
Since the hawk has been injured and unable to hunt for some time, he is thin and dehydrated.
“We think that he will end up being releasable once his flight feathers grow back and we hope that his mate will still be waiting for him,” Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation said.