05/26/2026
There's a particular kind of awe that comes with standing near a peregrine falcon.
Even at rest, the bird radiates velocity — coiled power built to cut through the sky faster than any other animal on Earth.
When a peregrine arrives injured, the weight of that is real. When one leaves healthy, it feels like a small miracle.
Earlier this year, we received a male peregrine falcon with an open wing fracture — multiple breaks to the small, complex bones at the tip of the wing, with tendons exposed. He arrived in critical condition.
After carefully stabilizing the wound, we transferred him to our Consulting Veterinarian, Dr. Avery Berkowitz at Maine Wildlife Rehabilitation, for surgical assessment and intensive care. Surgery wasn't advised because this is an area with less soft tissue coverage than other parts of the wing and there was an open portion with tendon exposure. The bird had a tremendous amount of care with our partners at Maine Wildlife Rehabilitation. The fractures stabilized. The wound closed. The tendon exposure healed.
Then came the real work: flight reconditioning.
Our flyway enclosure — designed to allow raptors to fly in a circular formation, now considered an industry standard of care — gave him room to begin finding himself again as a flier. And he used it.
But peregrine falcons are acutely sensitive birds. Stress alone can become a medical problem. As his conditioning progressed, it became clear he needed more space than even our flyway could offer. For an injury this significant, we needed to know: could he reach the high speeds and agility a peregrine needs to survive in the wild?
That's where this case took a turn we'd never taken before.
Working with Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife — who had been closely following his progress, a reflection of just how rare peregrines are in our state (there are only about 30 breeding pairs in Maine) — we arranged a handoff to a licensed falconer for continued conditioning.
This kind of partnership is uncommon in wildlife rehabilitation. It requires trust, coordination, and a shared commitment to the bird above all else.
"We are thrilled to partner with the state, our consulting vet, and a falconer in our community to do what is best for this bird," said Executive Director Barbara Haney. "This case shows just how important rehabilitation is for the future of all birds."
He's not out of the woods yet. But he is flying. And that means everything. 🦅
Please send good thoughts in the direction of our peregrine patient — and if his story has moved you, consider making a gift in his honor at http://avianhaven.org/donate Stories like this one are never simple, or cheap, or quick. Every contribution helps us say yes to the next bird that needs us.
