I beleive this is a hawk?

[Leon]

Hello all,,,
I was at the "Indian Graveyard" today and saw this little critter. I was able to get within about 15' feet of it, but it looked as though it would have attacked me if I got any closer, so I left it at the 15' foot mark...


Somebody tell this city boy,,, Is this a hawk?

 

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[BamaBill]

Yep, a red-tailed hawk.

 

[packerbacker]

Got the red tail but the legs look like a falcon. Not sure I know the difference but it's definitely a beautiful bird.

 

[Cynangyl]

beautiful and amazing you were able to get so close to it! thanks for bringing home pics for us!

 

[civilman1]

Red Tail...Was is sitting on a rodent?

 

[Leon]

Thanks all,,,
civilman1, he/she wasn't sitting on anything but he/she did keep scratching on the ground for some reason. Here's a small video I put together of it...

Any ideas on what it was doing in the video?

 

[CarolinaDigs]

Love the hawk ! proud and grand pic of this beautiful bird

 

[nc-joe]

it must have spotted either a mouse of snake and was trying to scratch away the top level of ground cover to expose it or make it move.

 

[RON (PA)]

Beautiful pics. Thanks for sharing with us.

 

[Ascholten]

He probably had a snake there, possibly holed up and was trying to get at it.

nice pics there, and some of them do let you get rather close when they can sense you really are not going to harm them.

aaron

 

[COUNTRY GIRL]

That Red Tail is a beauty!

 

[Tricia]

I agree. Something good in the ground to eat.

 

[godisnum1]

Yeah, it's already got it's food pinned down by it's talons. It's was just keeping whatever it was there. I'm thinking a snake or small rodent. Something that can jolt fast like that to make it stomp it's claw back down on it. Beautiful Red Tailed Hawk for sure!!

Bran <><

 

[Leon]

Thanks all,,,
I was pretty sure it was a hawk. Being a Red Tailed, I guess was throwing me off... I usually see one that's mostly brown, but never got close enough to get a good shot of it. I wasn't sure if this one was a hawk, or a falcon... Definitely a beautiful bird up close...
Good luck, & Happy Hunting~

 

[RainDog]

I would guess that red tail had a small snake pinned down and was waiting for it to quit wiggling.
Great pics and vid.I'm sure it ws a rush to see that!!
HH Raindog

 

[bushlight]

yep thats a hawk

 

[River Rat]

Nice pic of the hawk. I saw one on the ground in the pasture, as I neared it to get a better look it flew up and had a grey squirrel in it's talons. Awesome flight...hawk flying, squirrel's tail fluttering in the breeze.

RR

 

[hollowpointred]

yup probably had a small prey item in its talons. they kill prey by tightening and releasing their talons over and over until whatever it is they caught is dead. you can get pretty close to them when they are busy like that. really cool photo.

 

[rcawdorswife]

Yep it is a red-tail Hawk. Have lots of them here.!

 

[ivan salis]

red tailed hawk (big one full grown) -- they eat snakes ,small rodent animals (rats & bunnies) and birds like quail and such -- they have a shrill cry -- most likely had a snake "pinned" down --