The most famous Red-tailed Hawk!

When I was in Nome, Kerry Finley wrote me to tell me that a young Red-tailed Hawk chick had been spotted in a Bald Eagle nest near his home in Sidney, BC.

He had been watching this nest for many years but had never seen anything like this. Well I asked him to send me photos because it was truly unbelievable. He did just that and all he said was true. No one could figure out how the chick got there or how it was still alive. David Hancock was contacted (a well known biologist and expert on Bald Eagles) and he said that most likely the Hawk was brought to the nest as prey but the mothering instinct kicked in when she returned to the nest and the hawk opened its mouth squawking for food. You can read his words HERE

The bird was and is being fed by its adoptive parents and there is no signs of aggression from the adult Bald Eagles or from its 3 much larger Eaglet siblings.

In May there was actually 2 Red-tailed Hawk chicks in the nest but one perished (perhaps to due starvation or predation) as of May 29th. This little guy lived, why we will never know.

You can see a photo of the young bird here:

Young Red-tailed Hawk in nest with Bald Eagles in Sidney, BC - Photo: Suzanne Huot

You can watch a film of it eating in the nest below:

I contacted the Vancouver sun,Times Colonist, BC CTV News and Global News a few weeks ago and they all did stories on it. See them below:

Vancouver Sun story

 Times Colonist story

CTV News Story


NPR story

BBC even picked up the story somehow with a sensational title
"Bald Eagle Adopts Mortal Enemy baby Red-tailed Hawk"

Well now the young Hawk has left the nest and fledged. It's still sticking right by the nest alongside its adoptive parents and siblings. The birds are all doing well and the Red-tailed Hawk has not been attacked once or turned into prey as many thought would happen.

Nature never ceases to astound us. Maybe people should give Bald Eagles more credit they aren't as predatory as we may think. Bald Eagles are more of a scavenger than a predator like a Golden Eagle but of course they do kill and eat birds and animals. However, this sentient Eagle is caring and looking after a much smaller and weaker raptor.

The whole story is completely fascinating.

Here is a video Kerry sent me of the birds today. You can see the family with the adult Bald Eagle sticking close to the Hawk that they are still caring for.


Time will tell what will happen to this family and especially to this Hawk but right now we are seeing two species in the wild that are showing a bond and connection.

My friend gave me this book "Unlikely Friendships: 47 Remarkable Stories from the Animal Kingdom" by Jennifer S. Holland for my birthday awhile ago and I might just write the author to let her know about this story. See more on the book HERE

Predators can befriend prey and this is what has happened here. Nature is so complex and there is so much we really don't understand and have yet to learn. Maybe we shouldn't always judge predators in a negative fashion where we see them  solely as killing machines. This Eagle family has proven that they are capable of so much more.

I'll keep you updated with how the story unfolds.


Comments

  1. LonelytravellerJune 26, 2017 at 10:37 PM

    This is so interesting hope the hawk makes it

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Melissa HaftingJune 27, 2017 at 1:03 AM

      Thanks me too! it is so amazing to witness such a sight! we have so much to learn from nature.

      Delete
  2. UnknownJune 27, 2017 at 8:44 PM

    Wow! Amazing story! That juvie Red-tailed Hawk looks so funny among the Bald Eagles! Curious how it will turn out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Melissa HaftingJune 27, 2017 at 11:07 PM

      THANks Viktor I've updated the hawk story with a video from global news tonight as it took flight see here http://daretobird.blogspot.ca/2017/06/birds-in-news-and-update-on-sidney-red.html

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Dowitcher Identification

Image
Birders notoriously find it difficult to tell Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitchers apart. I have got a request to do an identification explanation on them so here goes, I hope it will be helpful. Short-billed Dowitchers and Long-billed look so similar. Using their habitat is helpful but not diagnostic. Short-billed Dowitchers tend to prefer Salt water and brackish water and Long-billed Dowitchers tend to prefer fresh water. However, I have OFTEN seen Short-billeds in freshwater and Long-billeds in brackish and salt water. Therefore, DO NOT rely on habitat. Another feature many people will tell you to rely on is spotting on the side of the flanks of Short-billeds and barring on the side of Long-billeds. Usually this is a mark that you can use but it is not always as distinct as you like. I have seen Short-billeds with a barred appearance to the flanks. It is only at the side of the breast where you have to look for this diagnostic feature for the spots on a Short-billed and t
Read more

Hawk Identification Tips from every angle (Sharpie vs Cooper and Red-tailed Subspecies)

Image
I get several questions about the difference between accipiters. The most common ones are between Sharp-shinned Hawks and Cooper's Hawks and between Cooper's Hawks vs Northern Goshawks (to a lesser degree). Next, I get many questions dealing with a certain race of buteos the Western Red-tailed Hawk and Harlan's. So I thought I would do a post on these to help answer those questions. I will deal with Cooper's and Sharpies and not Goshawks because they are much more common here and look much more alike. My friend John Reynolds inspired me to write this up. COOPER'S AND SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS EYE COLOUR - YELLOW OR ORANGE? RED? Normally a juvenile Cooper's hawk has a bright yellow eye and a Juvie Sharpie has a orange eye but some cooper's can have a dull yellow eye that looks a bit orangish. Cooper's Hawks usually only transition to the orange eye colour when they are sub adults, so in good light, it's a very very reliable feature. However you
Read more

STINT IDENTIFICATION

Image
As per request, here are some tips that I hope will be helpful in identifying and differentiating Red-necked Stint from Little Stint. I will also do a brief intro on Long-toed and Temminck's Stint... if you build it they will come right?😉 Red-necked and Little Stints look very much alike in worn breeding plumage. The amount of Red on the face, throat and breast in Red-necked Stint is vary variable). They look even more alike in non-breeding plumage, that is why it is essential to learn structural differences to separate the two. They are similar to Semipalmated Sandpipers as well as Sanderlings. Both species are often confused for Red-necked Stints. Little Stints rarely get confused with Sanderling because they have a hind toe which helps differentiate it from this species. Sanderlings in breeding or worn breeding are usually confused with Red-necked Stints but they are much larger than Red-necked Stints. Let's first start with Bills in this complicated ID proces
Read more

*Updated - The most famous Red-tailed Hawk is eating fish on the ground just like a Bald Eagle!

Image
Update - There are plans in the works to make a documentary film on this young Red-tailed Hawk who thinks he's an Eagle. You can read the latest news about that on CBC HERE . Watch this incredible footage of the little Red-tailed Hawk who grew up in a family of three Eaglets and 2 Bald Eagle Parents. He is imprinted now on Bald Eagles. He looks and acts just like one, as you can see here in the video below. He is standing over a large salmon carcass, just like a Bald Eagle would and he's eating the decaying flesh. Red-tailed Hawks like to eat voles and rabbits etc. not fish! Imprinting is usually irreversible according to raptor expert David Bird. However, I hope it's reversible so that he doesn't attempt to mate with a Bald Eagle, as the Eagle would kill him because it would view him as a Hawk. Eagle expert David Hancock said that the bird will likely starve and get killed by an eagle. He said this possibly can be prevented if someone grabs it and takes it to O
Read more

My First Mother's Day Without My Mother

Image
This is my first Mother’s Day without my mom. I am still deeply affected and afflicted with emotional pain. I took the day off from the RBA to just remember her and honour her. My dad, sister and I visited her grave with a bouquet of flowers. I cried a lot but it gives me a bit of comfort that she now has a head stone that I can touch. I didn't want to leave. I can’t believe it’s been just over 4 months since I lost her. To my Mom: Mom you were so great. You were so loved. I miss you so much today. I wish every day that you were here with Meghan, Dad and I.  I will never be truly happy again until I see you once more. Thank you for being such a wonderful mother. I will never ever forget you. I cannot wait to see you again in Heaven. Since you died in my arms, this is one of the hardest days I have been through without you. Normally I would be taking you out for brunch today, hugging you and telling you how much I loved you. Mom, you watched me take my first breath and I unfortunate
Read more