The Detour That Saved a Muddy Amur Falcon and Returned it to the Sky

One rescuer’s chance discovery of a muddy and fatigued Amur Falcon turned a roadside emergency into a rewarding second chance at the sky.

Springs, South Africa (25 February 2026) – The best trips are the ones interrupted by an unexpected detour. The kind that allows us to slow down, reflect, and make a real difference.

While travelling along a particularly challenging stretch of road (the kind that threatens both your suspension and your sanity), South African Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre (SAWRC) member, Jaco Rademeyer, noticed something unusual. A grounded Amur Falcon, and a very muddy one at that.

Worried it might be injured, he stopped to pick it up and took it home for some emergency observation and care. Because when you find a rare, long-distance migrant lying in the mud, the only logical response is clearly to derail your entire day.

The following day, the falcon was transported to Leanne Hezlett for a more thorough and specialised examination. Interestingly, there was nothing wrong.

“No fractures. No obvious trauma. No underlying condition… just a very exhausted bird that looked like it had lost an argument with a swamp. Leanne, not one to leave any feather unturned, contacted Dr Dorianne Elliot to ask if the falcon could be flight tested in her aviary. Before long, the Amur Falcon was receiving a full beak-to-tail inspection, confirming that every wing feather, muscle, and aerodynamic masterpiece was exactly where it should be,” SAWRC shared online.

According to the wildlife experts, Amur Falcons are not your average raptor but are elite endurance athletes who migrate from eastern Asia all the way to southern Africa, travelling more than 20,000 km each year.

After the checkup, the falcon was returned to Leanne’s care for a few days to gain some much-needed weight and rebuild strength.

“Good food, rest, and zero social obligations did the trick. In a full circle moment, Jaco collected the falcon once more and returned it to the very place where their paths had first crossed. The release was smooth, strong, and exactly as it should be.”

A video capturing the birds’ rescue was just magnificent!

The unexpected detour that led to the recuperation of a remarkable raptor reminded the SAWRC team that conservation is not always about dramatic rescues or viral videos.

“Sometimes it is simply one person, on a muddy road, paying attention when others might not,” they eloquently put.

Sources: South African Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre

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