Harassed Hawk: I'm NOT posting these photos to show off great quality pictures....all sorts of excuses for them being only adequate. But I like the story. Well, and the fact that I...

whlsdn Loc: Colorado

I'm NOT posting these photos to show off great quality pictures....all sorts of excuses for them being only adequate. But I like the story. Well, and the fact that I caught them unexpectedly on my morning walk.

We have a pair of redtail hawks that frequent our neighborhood and haul off a squirrel (which I've seen) or some other handy meal now and then. On this occasion I watched 4 smaller birds send the big guy hauling tail. He landed; they landed. Then they took turns buzzing by and pecking at him. They seemed satisfied with their work.

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Swamp-Cork Loc: Lanexa, Virginia

WAstinkbug Loc: Silverdale, WA, U.S.A.

I enjoyed these. We have those hawks in our neighborhood... seen on a regular basis this season. The downside is I see less birds in the garden than usual ... especially robins. I don't know if they bother with the smaller birds so much, but the robins are definitely a target.

whlsdn Loc: Colorado

WAstinkbug wrote:

I enjoyed these. We have those hawks in our neighborhood... seen on a regular basis this season. The downside is I see less birds in the garden than usual ... especially robins. I don't know if they bother with the smaller birds so much, but the robins are definitely a target.

I'm surprised to hear hawks single out robins. Yet I do see more robins in yards eye-balling the grass for worms and bugs, perhaps less attentively than other birds, so who knows. Wherever I find and can observe hawks, though, there are soon a few small birds nearby who take to pestering the hawk. I find that a bit incredible.

WAstinkbug Loc: Silverdale, WA, U.S.A.

whlsdn wrote:

I'm surprised to hear hawks single out robins. Yet I do see more robins in yards eye-balling the grass for worms and bugs, perhaps less attentively than other birds, so who knows. Wherever I find and can observe hawks, though, there are soon a few small birds nearby who take to pestering the hawk. I find that a bit incredible.

Well... I'm not sure if they "single them out" but I happened to be in the back yard a few years ago when a robin's nest nearby was hit/raided by either a hawk or a juvenile bald eagle. It was pretty awful to hear and later I found robin wings on the ground underneath the fir tree their nest had been in. I think it moved in on babies that were almost ready to fledge.

whlsdn Loc: Colorado

WAstinkbug wrote:

Well... I'm not sure if they "single them out" but I happened to be in the back yard a few years ago when a robin's nest nearby was hit/raided by either a hawk or a juvenile bald eagle. It was pretty awful to hear and later I found robin wings on the ground underneath the fir tree their nest had been in. I think it moved in on babies that were almost ready to fledge.

The wildlife world is indeed wild. And gruesome.