Sheila

Sheila is a female red-tailed hawk who arrived in 2017 from a wildlife center in Napa, California after a long process of finally determining her to be non-releasable. She came into their center with an injured talon and wing but recovered under their care with one wing not quite 100%. So it was at last determined that her survival in the wild would be compromised. And there’s something else. She’s a hawk from the wild that’s just not very wild! She was unusually easy to tame down and handle and so we all suspect that she was kept in a protected environment like a zoo, wildlife center or falconry facility and then was released accidentally or on purpose and perhaps her inexperience contributed to her accident and injuries.

We can only guess at this, of course, but her behavior gives her away because she is a gentle and accepting girl and a joy to handle and spend time with. And she is huge! Although within this species the females are always a third larger than the males, Sheila is almost twice the size of Dragon, our male red-tailed hawk! We are so glad Sheila is now part of our raptor family.