Community Chat

[Silver Lotus]

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

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

[scotttie]

Is that a dead rabbit in the nest?

[Kachina624]

Beautiful birds and the babies are so cute!

[Silver Lotus]

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

[Cakers1]

Beautiful.

[scotttie]

They are showing the sleeping baby now!!

[gardenman]

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.

[Kachina624]

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

[Topaz Gem]

Thanks for the link.

[Silver Lotus]

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