A rare hawk, which is on the state-endangered species list, was nursed back to health by the conservation district after he was found injured and sick in McHenry County.
The McHenry County Conservation District said it found a male Northern Harrier hawk near a district site in the county last month.
The hawk was found lethargic, disoriented and underweight and was brought to the McHenry County Conservation District Wildlife Resource Center in Wonder Lake.
“Even the sky’s most exceptional fliers don’t always stick the landing,” the conservation district said.
Staff examined the bird and suspected he was suffering from head-related trauma.
The Northern Harrier was luckily able to eat on his own and was kept under supervision to recover from the concussion as he regained the lost weight.
He gained a healthy amount of weight and could fly again after three weeks.
The conservation district said it released the hawk back into the wild after it was nursed back to health.
Male Northern Harriers are identified by their gray plumage, while females and juveniles sport a browner coat, officials said.
Their preferred habitats include open grasslands, fields, prairies and marshes.
The Northern Harrier is a common migrant and uncommon winter and summer resident in Illinois, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).
It may winter as far south as Central and South America. The hawk eats amphibians, other birds, insects, mammals and reptiles.
The IDNR said it flies near the ground, gliding over an open field or marsh, looking for food. The wings form a shallow “V” during flight.
The conservation district said Northern Harriers have owl-like faces that help direct sound to their ears to better hear and detect prey.