The United States will sell Ukraine up to $138 million worth of equipment to maintain and upgrade its HAWK air defense systems to help defend against Russian drone and cruise missile attacks, a U.S. State Department official told Reuters on Tuesday.

US to sell to Ukraine $138 million in HAWK air defence upgrades

A rather unusual incident occurred in Silsbee, Texas, near the Louisiana border, where a 64-year-old woman named Peggy Jones had a terrifying encounter with a hawk and a snake. The incident, which took place on July 25, left her with cuts and bruises&nbsp;on her arm and face.

Peggy Jones was going about her routine lawn-mowing activities when her day took a bewildering turn. Out of nowhere, a snake landed on her arm after it was dropped from the sky by a hawk.&nbsp;Struggling to remove the wriggling snake, Peggy found herself in a perilous situation as the snake coiled around her arm and began striking at her face.

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"As I was trying to fling the snake off, it wrapped around my arm," she told CBS News adding, "The snake was striking in my face, it struck my glasses a couple of times... He was striking and striking, and he just kept hanging on."

<h2>Aggressive hawk</h2>

Further, as Peggy was grappling with the snake, the hawk suddenly entered the scene with a swift dive. The hawk attempted to seize the snake it had dropped, which was now ensnared around Peggy's arm.

In the process, the hawk's talons dug deep into Peggy's flesh, causing further injury.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/man-gets-furious-and-locks-ex-colleagues-at-former-workplace-after-being-fired-from-job-623655">Man gets furious and locks ex-colleagues at former workplace after being fired from job</a>

"Then the hawk appeared just as fast as the snake appeared," Peggy said adding, "The hawk grabbed the snake that was wrapped around my arm and pulled it like he was going to carry it away. And when he did, it flung my arm up. The hawk was carrying my arm and the snake with it."

"There were puncture wounds, cuts, abrasions, scratches and severe bruising," she said, adding that the snake's attacks to her face damaged her glasses.

A fierce battle ensued between Peggy, the snake, and the hawk. The hawk relentlessly tried to regain its prey, repeatedly injuring Peggy with its talons.&nbsp;

After a relentless struggle, the hawk managed to wrench the snake away from Peggy's arm. The traumatic encounter left Peggy in shock, and her husband quickly took her to the hospital for medical attention.&nbsp;

Watch | Nepal initiates investigation against former Prime Ministers

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Being a resident of rural Texas, she is accustomed to wildlife interactions. She mentioned that witnessing a hawk grabbing a snake wasn't entirely foreign to her, as it's a common hunting behaviour among hawks.

"I've actually seen a hawk pick up a snake. That's something they do, that's how they kill their prey," she said.

The incident has left her struggling with sleep disturbances, and she now carries a newfound awareness of the potential risks present in her surroundings.

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A rather unusual incident occurred in Silsbee, Texas, near the Louisiana border, where a 64-year-old woman named Peggy Jones had a terrifying encounter with a hawk and a snake.

A rather unusual incident occurred in Silsbee, Texas, near the Louisiana border, where a 64-year-old woman named Peggy Jones had a terrifying encounter with a hawk and a snake. The incident, which took place on July 25, left her with cuts and bruises on her arm and face. Peggy Jones was going about her routine lawn-mowing activities when her day took a bewildering turn. Out of nowhere, a snake landed on her arm after it was dropped from the sky by a hawk. Struggling to remove the wriggling snake, Peggy found herself in a perilous situation as the snake coiled around her arm and began striking at her face. Also Read | Wagner reaping benefits from instability in Niger, says US State Secretary Antony Blinken "As I was trying to fling the snake off, it wrapped around my arm," she told CBS News adding, "The snake was striking in my face, it struck my glasses a couple of times... He was striking and striking, and he just kept hanging on." Aggressive hawk Further, as Peggy was grappling with the snake, the hawk suddenly entered the scene with a swift dive. The hawk attempted to seize the snake it had dropped, which was now ensnared around Peggy's arm. In the process, the hawk's talons dug deep into Peggy's flesh, causing further injury. Also Read | Man gets furious and locks ex-colleagues at former workplace after being fired from job "Then the hawk appeared just as fast as the snake appeared," Peggy said adding, "The hawk grabbed the snake that was wrapped around my arm and pulled it like he was going to carry it away. And when he did, it flung my arm up. The hawk was carrying my arm and the snake with it." "There were puncture wounds, cuts, abrasions, scratches and severe bruising," she said, adding that the snake's attacks to her face damaged her glasses. A fierce battle ensued between Peggy, the snake, and the hawk. The hawk relentlessly tried to regain its prey, repeatedly injuring Peggy with its talons. After a relentless struggle, the hawk managed to wrench the snake away from Peggy's arm. The traumatic encounter left Peggy in shock, and her husband quickly took her to the hospital for medical attention. Watch | Nepal initiates investigation against former Prime Ministers × Being a resident of rural Texas, she is accustomed to wildlife interactions. She mentioned that witnessing a hawk grabbing a snake wasn't entirely foreign to her, as it's a common hunting behaviour among hawks. "I've actually seen a hawk pick up a snake. That's something they do, that's how they kill their prey," she said. The incident has left her struggling with sleep disturbances, and she now carries a newfound awareness of the potential risks present in her surroundings. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Texas woman caught in intense tussle between a hawk and snake, gets injured

Pale Male, a red-tailed hawk and the celebrity bird of Manhattan city passed away after nesting above Fifth Avenue for three decades. He was believed to be 33 years old. Throughout his life, the hawk inspired several news articles, documentaries and even a PBS television special.

The sad news was announced by wildlife rehabilitator Bobby Horvath via Facebook. He discovered Pale Male ill and grounded, in Central Park. Despite his efforts to save him, including giving him a trip to the vet and meals, the famed bird couldn't survive, he said.&nbsp;

"We hoped for any improvement, but sadly it was not meant to be."

Many birdwatchers, tourists and New Yorkers were captivated by Pale Male since his first arrival in Central Park in 1991 as&nbsp;a juvenile.&nbsp;

<h2>When did Pale Male become famous?</h2>

Pale Male's celebrity status went beyond birdwatchers after he and his mate were ousted from the Fifth Avenue residence in 2004. He had been building a nest at the 12-floor luxury apartment. But the co-op board voted to move the nest, which led to widespread outrage among New Yorkers. The then Mayor Tyler Moore, a resident of the building, also protested the decision, which led to its reversal and addition of a metal "cradle" to support future nests.&nbsp;

After the upheaval, the hawk returned and rebuilt his nest and continued to live with his mate. They produced their offspring and by 2010, he sired some 23 chicks, and experts claimed all hawks in the city were related to him.&nbsp;

<h2>'Red-Tails in Love'</h2>

Wall Street Journal columnist and birder Marie Winn named him due to his unusually light plumage. Her&nbsp;book 'Red-Tails in Love'&nbsp;features the bird, which was one of the first red-tailed hawks to permanently settle&nbsp;in the Big Apple.

Horvat said, "Pale Male was the inspiration for thousands not only in New York City but worldwide to begin birding or photography."

His influence extended from locals to amateurs, professional photographers and even tourists who just wanted a glimpse of the hawk.&nbsp;

David Barrett, an operator of several birding Twitter accounts, said that Pale Male was a beloved city icon, predating other viral sensations like the pizza rat or the 'hot' Mandarin duck.

"He was not only the world's most famous red-tailed hawk, but he was probably the world's most famous bird, one that people knew by name," he added.

<h2>Was it really him?</h2>

Pale Male's lifespan raised some questions, given that he lived a decade past the average lifespan for his species. Some questioned that the true Pale Male might have passed away years ago, while one of his offspring took his place. However, Jessica Wilson, the executive director of New York City Audubon stated that&nbsp;Horvath, who had Male's remains, stands by his belief that the deceased hawk is the one he's been tracking for the past 20 years.

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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Pale Male, a red-tailed hawk and the celebrity bird of Manhattan city passed away after nesting above Fifth Avenue for three decades. He was believed to be 33 years old.

Pale Male, a red-tailed hawk and the celebrity bird of Manhattan city passed away after nesting above Fifth Avenue for three decades. He was believed to be 33 years old. Throughout his life, the hawk inspired several news articles, documentaries and even a PBS television special. The sad news was announced by wildlife rehabilitator Bobby Horvath via Facebook. He discovered Pale Male ill and grounded, in Central Park. Despite his efforts to save him, including giving him a trip to the vet and meals, the famed bird couldn't survive, he said. "We hoped for any improvement, but sadly it was not meant to be." Many birdwatchers, tourists and New Yorkers were captivated by Pale Male since his first arrival in Central Park in 1991 as a juvenile. When did Pale Male become famous? Pale Male's celebrity status went beyond birdwatchers after he and his mate were ousted from the Fifth Avenue residence in 2004. He had been building a nest at the 12-floor luxury apartment. But the co-op board voted to move the nest, which led to widespread outrage among New Yorkers. The then Mayor Tyler Moore, a resident of the building, also protested the decision, which led to its reversal and addition of a metal "cradle" to support future nests. After the upheaval, the hawk returned and rebuilt his nest and continued to live with his mate. They produced their offspring and by 2010, he sired some 23 chicks, and experts claimed all hawks in the city were related to him. 'Red-Tails in Love' Wall Street Journal columnist and birder Marie Winn named him due to his unusually light plumage. Her book 'Red-Tails in Love' features the bird, which was one of the first red-tailed hawks to permanently settle in the Big Apple. Horvat said, "Pale Male was the inspiration for thousands not only in New York City but worldwide to begin birding or photography." His influence extended from locals to amateurs, professional photographers and even tourists who just wanted a glimpse of the hawk. David Barrett, an operator of several birding Twitter accounts, said that Pale Male was a beloved city icon, predating other viral sensations like the pizza rat or the 'hot' Mandarin duck. "He was not only the world's most famous red-tailed hawk, but he was probably the world's most famous bird, one that people knew by name," he added. Was it really him? Pale Male's lifespan raised some questions, given that he lived a decade past the average lifespan for his species. Some questioned that the true Pale Male might have passed away years ago, while one of his offspring took his place. However, Jessica Wilson, the executive director of New York City Audubon stated that Horvath, who had Male's remains, stands by his belief that the deceased hawk is the one he's been tracking for the past 20 years. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Pale Male, Manhattan’s beloved red-tailed hawk who nested at NYC’s Fifth Avenue, dies at 33

In order to scare away pigeons, the metro system in California's San Francisco Bay Area has hired a bird of prey named Pac-Man.

It is the 5-year-old Harris hawk's duty to be on the lookout for pigeons and it has taken up the perch at El Cerrito del Norte station.

Contracting with the Bay Area Rapid Transit system (BART), Pac-Man's handler Ricky Ortiz is a falconer with Falcon Force who began patrolling with the bird at the station this summer.

Starting their day at the bottom level entrance before scoping out the platforms, the team patrols three days a week and scares away any pigeons who are resting on a ledge or on the interior scaffolding of the station.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/watch-casper-the-ghostly-octopus-discovered-in-waters-off-hawaii-is-likely-new-specie-505115" hreflang="en">WATCH | Casper, the ghostly octopus discovered in waters off Hawaii is likely new species</a>

According to Ortiz, "There was probably less than half of the pigeons here after the week of us flying."

He gives Pac-Man snacks throughout the day to keep his feathery friend happy on the job and to ensure that it does not feast on the pigeons or local rodents.

One of the daily riders on the route, Bethany Campbell told news agency Reuters that Pac-Man has been a hit with commuters.

Highlighting that she was first scared when she saw the hawk but now thinks it's great, Campbell said "We have family back in the Midwest and the idea of having birds here for bird eradication is just funny to them."

(With inputs from agencies)

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In order to scare away pigeons, the metro system in California's San Francisco Bay Area has hired a bird of prey named Pac-Man. It is the 5-year-old Harris hawk's duty to be on the lookout for pigeons and it has taken up the perch at El Cerrito del Norte station.

In order to scare away pigeons, the metro system in California's San Francisco Bay Area has hired a bird of prey named Pac-Man. It is the 5-year-old Harris hawk's duty to be on the lookout for pigeons and it has taken up the perch at El Cerrito del Norte station. Contracting with the Bay Area Rapid Transit system (BART), Pac-Man's handler Ricky Ortiz is a falconer with Falcon Force who began patrolling with the bird at the station this summer. Starting their day at the bottom level entrance before scoping out the platforms, the team patrols three days a week and scares away any pigeons who are resting on a ledge or on the interior scaffolding of the station. Also see | WATCH | Casper, the ghostly octopus discovered in waters off Hawaii is likely new species According to Ortiz, "There was probably less than half of the pigeons here after the week of us flying." He gives Pac-Man snacks throughout the day to keep his feathery friend happy on the job and to ensure that it does not feast on the pigeons or local rodents. One of the daily riders on the route, Bethany Campbell told news agency Reuters that Pac-Man has been a hit with commuters. Highlighting that she was first scared when she saw the hawk but now thinks it's great, Campbell said "We have family back in the Midwest and the idea of having birds here for bird eradication is just funny to them." (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here: ×

San Francisco: 'Pac-Man' hawk hired by metro system to scare pigeons away

In yet another remarkable discovery, a group of scientists has uncovered the fossil of a yet-unkown species of eagle from 25 million years ago.<o:p></o:p>

The group of researchers from Flinders University in Adelaide found several bone fragments by a dry lake. Scientists believe these remains belong to an ancient hawk called Archaehierax sylvestris.<o:p></o:p>

Like other eagles, this species too survived by preying on possums and koalas, and it was also able to catch low-flying birds. Since this species of hawk was usually found in the forest, the eagle had trained itself and adapted to fly and hunt in the forest area.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/can-vitamin-a-help-in-treating-covid-resulted-loss-of-smell-experts-answer-416845">Can Vitamin A help in treating Covid-resulted loss of smell? Experts answer</a></o:p>

These species had short but strong wings, longer legs and a wide foot-span. These eagles were small in number at that time too so finding remains of these is very rare.<o:p></o:p>

“It’s rare to find even one bone from a fossil eagle. To have most of the skeleton is&nbsp;pretty exciting, especially considering how old it is,” Associate Professor Trevor Worthy said.

<o:p></o:p>
<img alt="Photo credit: Flinders University" data-caption="Photo credit: Flinders University" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0e0ac732-0465-4bbd-9aa1-47ad08da4d3c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Eagle%20species.jpg" />
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<o:p></o:p>

These remains were found at the archaeological site in Lake Pinpa, a dried salt lake in the desert in south Australia.<o:p></o:p>

“This species was slightly smaller and leaner than the wedge-tailed eagle, but it’s the largest eagle known from this time period in Australia,” says Flinders University PhD candidate Ellen Mather, first author in the&nbsp;new paper in&nbsp;Historical Biology. “The&nbsp;foot span was nearly 15 cm long, which would have allowed it to grasp large prey.&nbsp;The largest marsupial predators at the time were about the size of a small dog&nbsp;or large cat, so&nbsp;Archaehierax&nbsp;(pron. ah-kay-high-rax) was certainly&nbsp;ruling the roost.”<o:p></o:p>

The fact that skeleton was almost completely preserved helped the researchers place the species properly in the eagle family tree.<o:p></o:p>

“The completeness of the skeleton allowed us to determine where it fits on the eagle family tree. It shows a range of features unlike any seen among modern hawks and eagles,” Mather explained. “We found that Archaehierax didn’t belong to any of the living genera or families. It seems to have been&nbsp;its own unique branch of the eagle family,” she says. “It’s unlikely to be a direct ancestor to any species alive today.”<o:p></o:p>

In yet another remarkable discovery, a group of scientists has uncovered the fossil of a yet-unkown species of eagle from 25 million years ago. The group of researchers from Flinders University in Adelaide found several bone fragments by a dry lake.

In yet another remarkable discovery, a group of scientists has uncovered the fossil of a yet-unkown species of eagle from 25 million years ago. The group of researchers from Flinders University in Adelaide found several bone fragments by a dry lake. Scientists believe these remains belong to an ancient hawk called Archaehierax sylvestris. Like other eagles, this species too survived by preying on possums and koalas, and it was also able to catch low-flying birds. Since this species of hawk was usually found in the forest, the eagle had trained itself and adapted to fly and hunt in the forest area. Also read | Can Vitamin A help in treating Covid-resulted loss of smell? Experts answer These species had short but strong wings, longer legs and a wide foot-span. These eagles were small in number at that time too so finding remains of these is very rare. “It’s rare to find even one bone from a fossil eagle. To have most of the skeleton is pretty exciting, especially considering how old it is,” Associate Professor Trevor Worthy said. These remains were found at the archaeological site in Lake Pinpa, a dried salt lake in the desert in south Australia. “This species was slightly smaller and leaner than the wedge-tailed eagle, but it’s the largest eagle known from this time period in Australia,” says Flinders University PhD candidate Ellen Mather, first author in the new paper in Historical Biology. “The foot span was nearly 15 cm long, which would have allowed it to grasp large prey. The largest marsupial predators at the time were about the size of a small dog or large cat, so Archaehierax (pron. ah-kay-high-rax) was certainly ruling the roost.” The fact that skeleton was almost completely preserved helped the researchers place the species properly in the eagle family tree. “The completeness of the skeleton allowed us to determine where it fits on the eagle family tree. It shows a range of features unlike any seen among modern hawks and eagles,” Mather explained. “We found that Archaehierax didn’t belong to any of the living genera or families. It seems to have been its own unique branch of the eagle family,” she says. “It’s unlikely to be a direct ancestor to any species alive today.”

Scientists unearth fossils of rare Eagle species that lived 25 million years ago

The cruelest thing to do to a bird is to clip its features to keep it as a pet. In El Salvadoran, a large beaked hawk was brought to a wet with its wings clipped. The bird needed a feather transplant to fly again. Watch report.

Operation Hawk: Artificial wings help hawk fry again

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