Red-Tailed Hawk with Rare Genetic Mutation Found Doused in Cooking Oil — Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, a red-tailed hawk with a rare genetic mutation was discovered to be incapable of flight and covered in cooking oil.

Rescuers claim that a strange-looking bird is actually a very rare raptor.

Flightless and Doused in Cooking Oil

According to a post on social media by the Raven Ridge Wildlife Center, the bird was first spotted by a local and had been sitting motionless on a low branch for three days. The resident wrapped the bird with a towel after realizing it was immobile and called a state game warden for assistance.

However, the wildlife center claims that neither the caller nor the game warden knew what species of bird they were handling. The game warden's best assumption was that the unusually colored bird-which had blonde and white feathers-was a young bald eagle.

The bird was unable to fly until rescuers removed cooking oil from her feathers, according to the wildlife center.

According to officials, the raptor was extremely thin and dehydrated, hypothermic from a loss of body heat. She was given a bath to remove the oil after she became stable and regained her strength. Until she is stable enough to feed herself, she is being hand fed.

Rare Genetic Mutation

The center reported that the bird was a leucistic red-tailed hawk rather than a bald eagle. Even though red-tailed hawks are widespread in the US, the bird's color made it challenging to identify.

Leucism is a rare genetic mutation that manifests as white feathers or fur and is brought on by a lack of pigment, according to a McClatchy News report. Although leucism and albinism are frequently confused, leucistic animals do not have albino pink eyes or poor vision.

The bird is currently on the road to recovery, according to Raven Ridge, and is improving daily. The center is optimistic that she will make a full recovery and be able to fly once more.

According to the center, the Pennsylvania Game Commission has also expressed interest in the rare hawk and has fitted her with a tracking band to keep an eye on her and gather data. But for the time being, they won't use it much.

According to Raven Ridge, the bird won't be released until she is fully recovered and feeling better.

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Leucistic Red-Tailed Hawk

The American Bird Conservancy estimates that there are 2.6 million red-tailed hawks in North America.

When a leucistic red-tailed hawk was spotted circling trees in Connecticut's Nutmeg State in December 2022, CT Insider reported that only a small percentage of red-tailed hawks, around a few hundred, are thought to be leucistic. The bird that was spotted in Mystic had some red feathers on its white body.

The recent rescue from Pennsylvania had blonde and white feathers, according to Yahoo! News.

Red-tailed hawks typically have brown bodies and red tails. According to the American Bird Conservatory, red-tailed hawks have some distinctive characteristics as well. Vertical dark streaks, dark patagial markings, and the aforementioned reddish-brown tail make up its belly band. They are built bulkily and have short tails and wide wings.