ORION
Species: Buteo jamaicensis, Red-tailed Hawk • Hatched: Unknown • Died: 2017 • Gender: Male • Disability: Human Imprint
Orion came to us emaciated in the summer of 2008. Even though starving, he would not kill live food. He was deemed human imprinted and non-releasable in September 2008.
Orion passed away June 24, 2017 from a respiratory problem. He was an ambassador for his species in educational outreach programs, much loved by caregivers, and will be truly missed.
ABOUT THIS SPECIES
Red-tailed hawks are commonly called ‘chicken hawks,’ but it’s a name they don’t deserve because they rarely eat chickens. They eat mostly rodents, but will also eat various mammals, reptiles, birds, and sometimes even venomous snakes. The first year of life is a daunting experience for young Red-tailed hawks—only 50 percent live to see their second Spring. Hawks have incredible eyesight. It is believed that if a Red-tailed Hawk could read, it could decipher the headline on a newspaper from a mile away.