Lingge, meaning Feather Song, is a female gyrfalcon with jet-black plumage and bluish-gray talons. She was purchased by a Buddhist devotee from an overseas trader for mercy release but collapsed mid-flight due to severe lung disease requiring long-term management. She became stubborn, refusing to eat when prevented from flying, and showed signs of depression leading to self-mutilation by plucking her flight feathers. As a Class II protected species in China, she requires special care and a specially modified enclosure with cooling systems. She was being transported from beyond the Great Wall.
