What looked tragic ended in a way that no one expected.
Last week, as a woman was test-driving a car in New Zealand, the unthinkable happened. She’d accidentally struck a low-flying hawk, who then became stuck to the front grille of the vehicle.
Hoping the bird’s life could be saved, the woman then rushed to the VetsOne clinic in the town of Hastings. Staff were stunned by the sight.
“The impact had sent the bird straight through the front grille of her car, wings outstretched across the bumper like a giant, feathered butterfly,” VetsOne Hastings wrote.
“After 20 years as a veterinary nurse, I had never seen anything like it,” Nadine Hook told The Dodo. “It was surreal, confronting and unforgettable.”
Realizing that the hawk was still alive, vet staffers got right down to work. They started by folding the bird’s wings back toward his body, allowing him to settle into a more comfortable position within the grille’s interior.
But actually getting the hawk out would prove to be a more difficult task.
Unequipped with what they’d need to extract the bird, vet staff enlisted the help of a local mechanic. He cut open the grille, allowing enough room for the hawk to be lifted out safely.
“What happened next was nothing short of astonishing,” VetsOne Hastings wrote.
Incredibly, the hawk was virtually unscathed.
“Despite the dramatic impact, the entrapment, and the sheer force involved, the hawk had sustained no major injuries!” the vet clinic wrote.
Just to be safe, the hawk was kept overnight for observation at the clinic, given food and rest. And the next day?
“A follow-up assessment in the morning confirmed what we were all hoping for: fit for release!” VetsOne Hastings wrote.
The hawk was then taken to a safe place outside and set free.
“He launched out with absolute gusto. He climbed effortlessly into the sky, circled overhead in a few confident loops as if to get his bearings — or perhaps to say a quick thank you — and then flew off toward the sunset, free once more,” VetsOne Hastings wrote.
“Moments like that remind us why we do what we do,” Nurse Hook added. “There’s nothing quite like watching our wildlife return to the sky where they belong.”
