A hawk broke most of its tail feathers. Can it be released?
top Birds replace many of their worn feathers every year through a process called molting. An old feather falls out and a new one is produced by the feather follicle and emerges in exactly the same place as the old one. Over a period of several months the hawk in question could grow a whole new tail. Unfortunately this process only happens during the late spring and summer. So what happens if this hawk comes to CRC in September? It would have to wait until the following spring to begin its molt. There is another way – it’s called imping. For centuries, falconers have repaired broken feathers on the birds they care for. Today, rehabilitators use the technique to give a bird an almost instant new tail or new wing feathers. Answer: Yes. Here’s how it works: All feathers, once fully formed, have a hollow shaft. (Remember the quills dipped in ink that were used for centuries to write with?) If a bird breaks off a feather, as long as there is a little bit of shaft left protruding from the bi
