A family of wild bald eagles in Canada just welcomed a new and unexpected member of their family - an orphaned newborn hawk. The birdie appears to be loving his new life as an eagle baby, as his new parents seem to be regarding it as their own, making sure he always get an equal share of the food as his eagle siblings.
"I think the hawk was picked up by the eagles as potential food and brought back to the nest," researcher David Hancock, from the Hancock Wildlife Foundation, told The Dodo. "That’s not an unheard-of event."
But how come the eagles changed their perspective and started regarding the newborn hawk as their baby rather than their prey? "It could be that the baby hawk is similar enough in appearance, or it made a begging sound that triggered the nurture response," explained Hancock.
The most important thing is that the hawk seems to be doing very well. "The hawk is not being browbeaten. There’s no sibling rivalry. The eaglets are kind of nice to it," said Hancock. "It’s unbelievable!"
However, as red-tailed hawks leave their parent's nest sooner than baby eagles do, Hancock will soon take him to a facility where the birdie will learn the survival skills he will need.
More info: Hancock Wildlife Foundation (h/t: thedodo)