It is not uncommon to stumble upon unexpected surprises during kayaking adventures. 

While enjoying the beauty of nature from a safe distance, you can still spot numerous magnificent animals hidden in the woods, rivers, or even on the nearby ground. 

What you don’t expect to see, especially at the end of the adventure, are animals close to your personal belongings, or your car.

Yet, that’s exactly what happened to Dave, a kayaker from Pennsylvania. When he spotted a mysterious visitor perched at the back window of his truck, he couldn’t believe his eyes. Then, he took a closer look!

He Didn’t Expect This

Dave slowly approached his truck to confirm his doubts. When he finally got close enough to see it properly, he was certain – it was a huge red-tailed hawk! 

He was in disbelief to see such a big bird in such a weird place. He had no idea how this majestic creature ended up there, but something appeared to be wrong.

The bird seemed pretty motionless and didn’t give away any fear signals. Dave popped the tailgate a few times in order to make it fly away, but it still didn’t move.

After the initial shock and a couple of attempts to help the animal himself, he gave up and decided to contact the Raven Ridge Wildlife Center team, from Pennsylvania, to notify them about his finding.

“We received a call from Dave stating that when he got home from kayaking, he noticed a red-tailed hawk in the back of his cab,” the Center wrote in a Facebook post.

Luckily, everything fell into place at the right time.

One of the capture transport volunteers, Michelle, was in the area due to another rescue. When she received the call from Dave, she immediately rushed into action.

Using a towel, this experienced volunteer slowly scooped up the hawk and successfully removed it from the back of the truck. She then transported it to the Center for further assessment. 

Everything Unfolded Well

Thanks to Dave’s call, the hawk was saved in a timely manner. During the examination, the vets determined that this red-tailed beauty was in its first year – a time when their mortality rate is quite high. This particular hawk was underweight and severely dehydrated.

“Most of these first-year hawks struggle with hunting, lose their way, or become separated from their family. This particular hawk was dehydrated and underweight,” the Center added.

The Center also reported that the hawk is currently in the process of recovery.

“Thanks to Dave and Michelle, the hawk is now recovering and has been moved to outdoor flight cages to regain strength for its release,” they concluded.

When the time is right, this furry baby will be released into the wild once again. After all, that’s where it belongs!