MikoShort-tailed Hawk
Buteo brachyurus
Miko
Short-tailed Hawk
Buteo brachyurus
Miko, a dark phase Short-tailed Hawk, came to the Avian Reconditioning Center in January of 2009 as an immature bird. He had been found in the Miami area, the natural range for this species in Florida, in late December 2008 with a gunshot injury to his left wing. Short-tailed Hawks breed in tropical and subtropical America and are uncommon and local in most of their range. The majority of the Florida population migrates to the tip of the state, including the keys, in the winter.
X-ray examination revealed that the gunshot caused a fracture of the carpus (wrist) which had healed. This senseless injury also caused damage to the feather follicles on the tip of his wing which will likely never recover. This damage to the follicles prevents typical growth of feathers and compromises his ability for normal flight. Miko would not have the stamina required to hunt, evade larger predators or otherwise survive in the wild and, therefore, must live in captivity where we can provide food and insure his safety.
Short-tailed Hawks are in the Accipitridae family and have a fast metabolic rate and, as such, are fairly high-strung. It's not surprising that Miko is uncomfortable around large groups of people and a lot of activity. Because of his inherent "shy" nature, we will limit Miko's exposure to situations that might make him uncomfortable and he will not travel on programs where there are large groups of people or attend wildlife festivals. As he becomes more accustomed to being "on the glove," he will join the rest of the ARC family at our on-site education pavilion on Saturdays.
Miko seems to enjoy splashing about for a bath and sitting with his wings outstretched to dry. He has a view of the outdoors from his perch and appears to like observing the natural world around him. Miko gets excited when his dinner of quail is about to be served and welcomes his meal eagerly with a high-pitched scream and a wing flap or two.
Miko was named for a Calusa Indian chief. The Calusa were a highly-evolved tribe who lived along the coast of Southwest Florida, the same region where the Short-tail occurs. These Native American people had many complex beliefs and thought souls migrated to animals after death. Many of their ceremonial artifacts were decorated with the head of a hawk which bears a striking resemblance to the Short-tail.
Miko can be sponsored through the Adopt-a-Bird program.
Call 407-461-1056 or e-mail info@adoptabird.org for details
on how you can make Miko a part of your family!
