topic Re: Red-tailed Hawks in Community Chat

Red-tailed Hawks

Silver Lotus — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 23:59:52 GMT

It's feeding time. 2 just recently hatched. 1 to go.

http://cams.allaboutbirds.org/channel/16/Red-tailed_Hawks/

Re: Red-tailed Hawks

scotttie — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 00:12:33 GMT

Is that a dead rabbit in the nest?

Re: Red-tailed Hawks

Kachina624 — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 00:23:36 GMT

Beautiful birds and the babies are so cute!

Re: Red-tailed Hawks

Silver Lotus — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 00:25:23 GMT

I think so, Scottie. Aren't they sweet, Kachina?

Re: Red-tailed Hawks

Cakers1 — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 00:43:01 GMT

Beautiful.

Re: Red-tailed Hawks

scotttie — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 01:45:26 GMT

They are showing the sleeping baby now!!

Re: Red-tailed Hawks

gardenman — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 13:50:55 GMT

We had a nest of red-tailed hawks in a neighbor's pine tree a few years ago. They're very impressive birds, but baby hawks are a menace while they're learning to fly. They're big (really big) baby birds and they don't start out flying all that efficiently. One knocked multiple elements off a rooftop antenna. Hearing them thumping into the sidewalls or roof of the house became relatively routine. You'd hear a loud thud and go out and there would be a somewhat dazed looking baby hawk on the ground looking around. One landed upside down in a neighbor's tree and just hung there by his talons (like a bat) overnight before staggering off the next morning. You almost felt like you needed to wear a helmet and padding if you went out in the yard while they were learning to fly. It kind of felt like you were living in the "WKRP in Cincinnati" Thanksgiving episode where they dropped live turkeys from a helicopter and bombed a shopping center with them. When very large, very heavy birds are out of control and crashing all around you, it gets a little nerve-wracking. If you've ever been around a group of fledgling red tailed hawks you'd be shocked that any lived long enough to grow up. They're magnificent flyers when grown but that transition stage from nest to flying is incredibly awkward.

Re: Red-tailed Hawks

Kachina624 — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 20:02:35 GMT

So funny Gardenman. I wonder if bald eagles are similar?

Re: Red-tailed Hawks

Topaz Gem — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 20:39:44 GMT

Thanks for the link.

Re: Red-tailed Hawks

Silver Lotus — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 23:59:51 GMT

Thanks Gardenman for the interesting info! I love watching these little guys!