Rarely is a live red-tail hawk the cause of car trouble.

Last week Friday a customer brought their damaged vehicle to Janzen Pontiac in Winkler after hitting a bird at highway speeds earlier in the day.

Staff member Ira Wiebe says they were shocked to find a live hawk staring back at them while examining the customer's broken grille.

Submitted photos

Somehow the animal had survived not only the impact but being wedged against the vehicle's hot condenser the entire hour long drive from Somerset to Winkler.

While staff doubted whether the hawk would survive, they quickly called the Winkler Veterinary Clinic and with their help removed the bird. After being checked out the hawk was initially thought to be ok, and could eventually be sent to wildlife refuge.

However, the clinic later discovered the animal had more internal damage than initially thought and would not make a recovery. It was euthanized on Sunday.

While the story ultimately had a bittersweet ending, Wiebe says they were still inspired by the bird's will to survive.