Maggie Fulcher’s morning commute turned into an unforgettable wildlife rescue when she spotted a bird under attack on the roadside. The student, en route to placement, pulled over and scooped up the injured creature, rushing it to a nearby vet. But what happened next was anything but expected.

“I thought it was dead,” Maggie recalled. “It was limp and not awake… so I patted it on the head—and it shot up and scared me! It has the biggest yellow eyes ever.”

The surprise survivor was a Pacific Baza, a medium-sized hawk known for its piercing yellow eyes and crested head, native to the humid woodlands of the Australasian realm.

I was driving to placement as a student and saw a bird being attacked on the side of the road by other birds. I got out of the car and picked it up and drove to the vet. Once i got to the vet I noticed the bird was limp and not awake… I thought it was dead so I patted it on the head and it shot up and scared me! It has the biggest yellow eyes ever