Red-shouldered hawk survives nearly 600-mile trip to Charleston in truck grill

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – A red-shouldered hawk appropriately named “Miracle” survived a nearly 600-mile trip stuck in the front grill of a truck, according to wildlife officials.

The driver struck Miracle, going about 70 miles per hour on Interstate 77 south by the West Virginia and Ohio state line over the weekend. The driver stopped to check his vehicle but did not see Miracle stuck in the grill of their Dodge Ram.

During the long trip, Miracle managed to end up on the passenger side grill, where she rode to Charleston. Once the driver realized she was there, he called the rehabilitation center, which sent out volunteers to remove the animal.

Once Miracle was safely removed and taken to a clinic for an evaluation, professionals determined not only that she had survived the trip but that she had made it through with no broken bones.

“Once we ensure she’s self-feeding and flight test her, we will be working on a plan to get her back home to Ohio,” Carolina Wildlife said on social media.

Carolina Wildlife is a nonprofit organization that works to provide medical care for injured and orphaned wildlife on a volunteer basis.

If you’d like to learn more about the rehabilitation center, visit its website here.