It isn’t every red-tailed hawk that gets to live 25 years. In the wild, the lifespan for the species is 10-12 years. So, 25 years of age as an avian ambassador was quite a milestone.
We threw a big “Bird-day Party” for Elise at Main Street Square at the Earth Day Celebration in April 2014. Mayor Sam Kooiker even declared that day “Elise the Red-tailed Hawk Day”.