More than two months after she was found, a rare Peregrine falcon nicknamed “Beatrix” remains at the Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Hutchins.
More than two months after she arrived, a rare Peregrine falcon remains at the Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Hutchins.
"Once she's up, she can fly back and forth, but it's getting from the ground up where she has the problem," said Kathy Rogers, founder of the wildlife center.
Blinded by a March hailstorm in Dallas migrating from Mexico to her home in Winnipeg, Canada, 5-year-old Beatrix quickly regained her sight.
But now, unseen injuries keep her from flying higher than a few feet.
"The x-rays showed the bone structure is fine, there's no breaks, there's no problems visible," Rogers said. "She's either severely pulled a ligament or strained a muscle or any of those things that take time".
Beatrix spends her days outside in a large flight cage, trying to regain her strength for the 1,300 mile flight home to Winnipeg.
"We're still hoping to get her to a point where she is able to fly back, but on her own. But if she's not, we're in the process of trying to make some arrangements to accommodate that," said Rogers.
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Beatrix was found on the ground near SMU, on the McCommas Boulevard Bridge over North Central Expressway in Dallas.
A band on Beatrix's leg led Rogers to the Peregrine Falcon Recovery Project in Manitoba, which says Beatrix is something of a local celebrity.
"We have web cams on that particular nest site, so people are able to watch and watch her grow up," said Tracy Maconachie, Project Coordinator with the Manitoba Peregrine Falcon Recovery Project.
"We had a contest to name the chicks and her name was chosen from amongst a whole bunch of names for her," said Maconachie.
After waiting weeks for Beatrix to return, her mate in Winnipeg finally allowed another falcon into the nest, and together they now have four eggs ready to hatch later this month.
"He sort of gave her the cold shoulder for a little while and then Beatrix wasn't turning up, of course. So he thought 'okay, Beatrix isn't coming home, this is a nice young lady,'" said Maconachie.
"It's all good," said Maconachie. "If we can get her back up into fighting form then she'll be ready to go for next year and that's really what we're all trying to have for her as a future."
"Our goal is to get her where she is releasable to fly on her own," said Rogers. "But we're certainly going to help her if she can't."
The Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation Center has already collected enough donations to fly Beatrix home on a plane if necessary.
