This adult male Ferruginous Hawk is the 100th patient so far this year. He was found near Casper alongside the road. His left wing is badly broken and may not be fixable for flight. If not, assuming he will survive, he will be placed as an education bird. These are the largest hawks with females weighing in at 4.0 pounds. Males, naturally smaller, come in at 2.2 to 3.0 pounds. SKEETER weighs only 1.5 pounds, he's severely starved probably because he's been on the ground for quite some time. Thanks to Greg from Duke Energy for calling me and Randy for meeting me in Thermopolis so I didn't have to drive the four hours south.

Right now he's not getting solid food but a high calorie, critical care liquid diet. I tube him every few hours in hopes that he gains enough to endure the needed surgery. He's a very handsome little fellow, isn't he?

SKEETER was originally thought to be a red-tailed hawk. Another person thought perhaps a rough-legged hawk but they don't come to this area of the country from above the Arctic Circle until November. I didn't know what his species was until I saw him in person.