Question for all Hawk experts

[Jim in Annville]

Yesterday at work I watched a Hawk that i had never seen before. It sat on a camera pole for probaly 20 mins. It was very small from the angle i was looking it appeared to be only 10-12 inches long. It was a deep copper color except for the back of its wings and back. They were extremely bright copper color. I mean "new" penny copper colored. It was extremely quick. it came off camera pole and took a small bird in less time than it takes to tell about it.

[Bray]

I can only think of two birds that have that new penny color. The North American Kestrel is actually a Falcon and looks like this. http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/4/48/Americankestrel65.jpg


This is the Red Shoulder Hawk, http://gallery.photo.net/photo/3205389-md.jpg

[KY_Fried]

female kestrel
http://www.birdquest.co.uk/tour_images/29809690.jpg
or coopers hawk
http://www.dunbargardens.com/coopers%20hawk%20perched%20on%20barn.JPG
would be my guesses

[paintman112]

With the size and color you described I am led to believe it is a female kestrel. I guess it could be a odd color morph of a sharp-shinned hawk

[Valley Station]

Most likely a Sharp shined hawk.
Sparrow hawks don't usually hunt other birds

[newshooter05]

i got a question for u about hawks. i have a puppy dashound that weighs about 7 lb. could a hawk kill it or carry it off. i have a hawk that watches my bird feeder somtimes.should i worry or s,s,and s.
david

[Art]

i got a question for u about hawks. i have a puppy dashound that weighs about 7 lb. could a hawk kill it or carry it off. i have a hawk that watches my bird feeder somtimes.should i worry or s,s,and s.
david

NO and no.

[Scott7m]

i got a question for u about hawks. i have a puppy dashound that weighs about 7 lb. could a hawk kill it or carry it off. i have a hawk that watches my bird feeder somtimes.should i worry or s,s,and s.
david

apparently some of us haven't been around very many hawks.. :rolleyes:

I've seen hawks swoop down and carry off full grown ground hogs, much larger than 7 pounds, some nearly double that. Not all of them were succesful no, but I've seen it happen many times here in our bottom.. There was one old groundhog we had that was the biggest I've ever seen, a big hawk swooped down and picked him up one day, struggled like heck to get going, and then dropped him after he got up about 40 ft.. i'd never seen a ground hog run that fast in my life when it hit the ground lol

[trust me]

Most likely a Sharp shined hawk.
Sparrow hawks don't usually hunt other birds

I've watched it happen twice, a sparrow and a starling. The sparrow was carried to a tree and the starling was gutted on the ground. Both by pretty blue sparrow hawks (kestrels).

Either that or the blue jays around here are on steroids.

[paintman112]

i agree with both posters, hawks can kill small dogs, however are much more likely to go after easier prey, ie the birds preoccupied with your feeder, and kestrels (sparrow hawks) do routinely kill and eat small birds

[drakeshooter]

A red tail hawk carried my MIL's long-haired chihuahua a short distance across her yard, but never got very far off the ground. She let out an Indian war whoop and the hawk dropped the little guy. Now he can't even go out to take a leak without looking around wild-eyed......

[Bray]

A red tail hawk carried my MIL's long-haired chihuahua a short distance across her yard, but never got very far off the ground. She let out an Indian war whoop and the hawk dropped the little guy. Now he can't even go out to take a leak without looking around wild-eyed......

That would have been a sight to see.

[drakeshooter]

I didn't actually see it. I noticed he freaked out when they let him out to do his business. He never went more than a few feet from the door and kept an eye to the sky the whole time. When I asked why that's the story they gave me.;)

[shot'm&hook'm]

My friend had one come after his Mini Yorkie! I'm shure they could do some damage to a small dog cause most aren't over the width or length of a rabbit stretched out! Kestrels are getting thick around here we have a beautiful blue and copper backed one around here! They make it hard on our Purple Martins though!