WAYNESBORO, VA (Wildlife Center of Virginia) — On August 14, 2024, the Wildlife Center of Virginia admitted a juvenile Broad-winged Hawk from Bedford County after it was struck by a vehicle. Now, one year later, that hawk has finally returned to the wild.

The young raptor’s long journey home began with an exam. The Center’s veterinary team found that the hawk had significant feather damage, including broken or missing feathers along its entire tail. Radiographs also revealed that its left clavicle—a bone essential for flight—was fractured.

The team started the hawk on anti-inflammatory medication and placed it on strict cage rest to recover. While the fracture was the more significant injury, it was the feather damage that proved most challenging.

“The hawk’s feather damage was so extensive that it couldn’t fly, even once the fracture had healed,” said Dr. Miranda, a veterinarian at the Center. “And fall migration was quickly approaching — Broad-winged Hawks are long-distance migrants that travel to Central and South America over winter. If the hawk couldn’t be released in time, it would have to stay with us until the following year.”

The Center’s team made one final effort to help restore the hawk’s flight in time: imping. Imping is a specialized technique in which healthy feathers from a donor bird are grafted onto a patient’s broken or missing feathers. This can help birds regain flight more quickly while their own new feathers grow in.

The imping procedure was successful, and within days, the hawk’s flight began to improve—but not enough. As flight conditioning progressed, it became clear that the hawk wasn’t quite ready for release.

“Even with the imped feathers, the hawk didn’t have the stamina it needed to survive migration,” said Dr. Miranda. “It needed more time.”

With no other option, the Center’s team committed to the hawk’s long-term care, providing daily food and care for the bird over winter. During that time, the hawk continued to rebuild its strength through daily exercise sessions in a large outdoor flight pen. By late spring, the imped feathers had naturally molted, replaced by fully regrown, healthy feathers.

Finally, on July 15—nearly a full year after its rescue—the hawk demonstrated the flight strength and stamina needed to return to the wild. It was cleared for release, and the following day, it was set free at Smith Mountain Lake State Park, just a few miles from where it had first been found.

Each patient’s recovery is different — some take days, while others, like this hawk’s, can take more than a year. Your donation helps provide the expert veterinary care and rehabilitation these patients need to heal and return to the wild. To support the Center’s work, visit wildlifecenter.org and donate now.