SPOKANE, Wash. — “They are surprised when they find out that he lives in Spokane.”
The Lilac City is home to many famous people – Bing Crosby, Craig Nelson, and Steve Gleason to name a few, but did you know Spokane is home to a famous hawk?
Taima, the actual Seattle Seahawk, lives here. He’s been a part of the team since 2005 and continues to grace fans from across the country.
“It’s just been awesome. It’s been awesome,” David Knutson, Taima’s owner said.
Words can’t really describe being recognized by the House of Representatives, going to two Super Bowls, let alone winning a Super Bowl ring.
“That was a big surprise. It was a gift. It’s got his name, it’s got everything on it,” Knutson said.
“Taima means thunder in our Native American language.”
Taima is an 18-year-old Augur Hawk. He was born at the World Bird Sanctuary in St. Louis, MO.
”There’s a lot of prominent players out there that, before they come out of that tunnel or before kickoff happens, they want to come over and pet Taima and it’s good luck for them,” Knutson said.
Good luck and now tradition.
“I said turn up the bass in the stadium, and I want to hear a heartbeat. And then zoom in with your fancy cameras right into the tunnel and then on cue, have the hawk fly straight out to me with the team running right behind it, and I said that’s how you’ll start your game,” Knutson said.
And that’s the way every game has been started since.
“Affectionately becomes Spokane’s very own, Taima the hawk. It’s a connection that Spokane and the Seahawks have. Their live mascot lives in Spokane,” Knutson said.
With nearly two decades of seasons under Taima’s wings, maybe another two decades of tradition are yet to come.
“If we’re still having fun, we’ll do it. We’ll keep doing it. Right now, I think we’re in the first year of a new three-year contract and we’ll see how it goes,” Knutson said.
