Meet 'Bitchy the Hawk,' Toronto FC Mascot Who Scares off Seagulls

BMO Field is well taken care of. 

Toronto FC's official website introduces the world to a hawk that fans of the club are already familiar with. 

"

Enter parabuteo unicinctus, or as she is more commonly known—Bitchy the Harris Hawk. This bird of prey has a 1.2 metre wingspan and strikes fear in the eyes of seagulls (as well as rabbits, rodents, lizards and possibly visiting teams). She will be watching over the club at all TFC home games.

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A sports team adopting a mascot is nothing new. From the very real to the insanely fake, teams run mascots onto the field in every sport. 

From Georgia's UGA bulldog to the Washington Huskies' adorable Dubs, we simply can't get enough of animals in the sports world. 

So we assume Bitchy here will be an MLS star shortly. 

As to how and why a hawk becomes the official mascot of a soccer side, the website has us covered. It seems she came to the team in 2012 and the club then ran a "Name the Hawk" promotion. 

In the end, the fans decided to maintain her original name. We can't say they were wrong in doing so, because that is as catchy as any other mascot's name. It also means we have the biggest diva in all of MLS. 

However, the hawk isn't at BMO Field to merely sit atop her perch, because she helps keep the pitch clear of annoying seagulls.

The report continues, "The proximity to Lake Ontario and all the fine food at BMO Field makes the stadium a haven for gulls. The pesky birds have caused quite the nuisance for players, fans and of course the clean-up staff."

In fact, The Star has a collection of vibrant images of the hawk and states, "A fan that lost an entire slice of pizza to a gull was the catalyst for the Amphitheatre to hire Bitchy."

And may Toronto faithful never go without pizza again. 

The club is currently near the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a dismal 23 points through 30 games played. 

We will give a pass to such a young franchise and one that already has a mascot that promises to keep the stands clean. 

Let this be a lesson to you seagulls out there. Nobody messes with Bitchy. 

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