We were handed a very young sparrowhawk [juvenile] that had been abandoned. At first we went through a few incorrect identifications – sending pictures to friends and even bird experts. As soon as the feathers began to show, it became clear this was in fact a sparrowhawk. What a privilege to caretake this amazing creature. We maintained minimal contact and when it was old enough, we moved it into a large flight enclosure for it to begin to learn how to fly.
Yes, we succumbed and named it Titan. When Titan was old enough, we opened the flight hatch and Titan was free to come and go as he wanted. After 2 days, Titan came back, landed near us and screeched for food. This became a routine – every morning, Titan would screech outside the bedroom, and every morning we would give him some chicken fillet.
This continued for 3 weeks, until Titan was more mature and ready to head off on his own. We still see Titan flying around, but he no longer comes for food. Fly free, and thank you for allowing us to be part of your life.
