Swainson's Hawk

Ernest was brought to the Nature & Wildlife Discovery Center in August of 1996 by a Colorado Parks and Wildlife Officer, who had confiscated him from two boys. The boys had found the hawk as a chick and had attempted to raise him.

Unfortunately, the boys didn’t understand the nutritional needs of a young hawk. As a result of poor diet, Ernest’s skeleton didn’t form correctly. His wings are the wrong shape and cannot support flight. Because Ernest was raised by humans, he is also a human imprint. Because of imprinting and his physical disabilities, Ernest cannot survive in the wild. However, Ernest has become an excellent educator and valued member of our staff.