Return to Arizona - Zone-tailed Hawk
30 inches wide x 20 inches high

“Migration time for hawks can be full of peril. This Zone-tailed Hawk survived his first summer to migrate to southern Mexico or Central America but he was found on the ground in southern Arizona during the spring migration north. The family that found the bird called a local rehabilitator who administered first aid and transferred him to the Phoenix area for acute care and rehab. He was lucky — the pellet was removed, his wing healed and he completed his rehab quickly.

“I had the great honor to be present at his release in a remote Arizona canyon where Zonies are present. He flew like the hawk he is upon his release and landed on a branch under this small opening in the canopy. The filtered light coming from above made him stand out from the forest as he took in his surroundings then took off, soaring in small circles before heading up canyon to continue his life.”

Permanent Collection
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum