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We have some feral cats that we fed every night at our shop, and one by one they kept disappearing. One day I walked out my shop door and saw some hawks circling above me. They made great target practice, and the cats stopped disappearing !
We have some feral cats that we fed every night at our shop, and one by one they kept disappearing. One day I walked out my shop door and saw some hawks circling above me. They made great target practice, and the cats stopped disappearing !
Don
You shot the Hawks... Not cool and probably illegal.
I think it is pretty sad when a cute critter gets taken for a meal but it is all part of nature.
Back to the hawk stories.
My sister used to have a shi tzu and she let it out back to run around in the fenced in yard but she stopped that the day she looked out and saw a rather large hawk sitting there eyeing her dog.
After that she would supervise the dog better when it went out.
We have some feral cats that we fed every night at our shop, and one by one they kept disappearing. One day I walked out my shop door and saw some hawks circling above me. They made great target practice, and the cats stopped disappearing !
Don
What you did was not only stupid, it was a federal offense. With only a little bit of investigation, I'm sure that someone could turn you in based on your admission.
Anyhow, cats do not belong outdoors--especially feral cats. Since outdoor cats kill millions of birds each year, turn-about is fair play!
We had a hawk pick a sparrow off the feeder over a week ago. My husband was lucky enough to see it in action. Since then there hasn't been a bird in the yard. I always wonder how the word gets around.
We have some feral cats that we fed every night at our shop, and one by one they kept disappearing. One day I walked out my shop door and saw some hawks circling above me. They made great target practice, and the cats stopped disappearing !
Don
Its been said already, but that wasn't very bright. One raptor is worth a hundred feral cats, to me. When I was on my ranch, I was forced, quite a few times, to thin out feral cats. They were decimating my quail and songbirds, breeding, uncontrollably and can , and do, carry diseases, like distemper. I would never begrudge a hawk, owl or even a yote, a meal of feral cat. That is providing a service, to my mind.
We have some feral cats that we fed every night at our shop, and one by one they kept disappearing. One day I walked out my shop door and saw some hawks circling above me. They made great target practice, and the cats stopped disappearing !
Don
Like others have said, completely uncool. Not only are the feral cats invasive, a pest to humans, and havoc-wreakers on an ecosystem, but I'm wondering if what you actually saw were hawks-can you tell the difference between a hawk and a vulture? A lot of people cannot.
Not only that, but I don't know of any hawks could pick up a fully-grown cat. Maybe a great horned owl, but a hawk?
I think that it's more likely that something else like a coyote or a neighbor picked it off.
We have some feral cats that we fed every night at our shop, and one by one they kept disappearing. One day I walked out my shop door and saw some hawks circling above me. They made great target practice, and the cats stopped disappearing !
What your uncle likely saw was either a Cooper's Hawk or a Sharp-shinned Hawk (they look very similar; slight size difference). As Accipiters, they make back yard "bird feeders" dual purpose.
Jack, have you ever seen a buteo take a bird? I'm just wondering because I believe that I saw a red-tailed hawk take a bird (positive ID on the red-tail). There was a winter flock in a tree and the red-tail flew very quickly into the tree and out and I am very sure that it took a bird. I know that they tend toward taking rodents and reptiles. Thoughts?
Jack, have you ever seen a buteo take a bird? I'm just wondering because I believe that I saw a red-tailed hawk take a bird (positive ID on the red-tail). There was a winter flock in a tree and the red-tail flew very quickly into the tree and out and I am very sure that it took a bird. I know that they tend toward taking rodents and reptiles. Thoughts?
Your query wasn't really directed at me, but I'll chime in, if you don't mind. I've seen Buteos snag various birds , a lot. The zipping into the tree thing you describe is a favored tactic. I've seen Red Tails and Swainsons, both, snag pigeons out of trees and off power/phone lines, as well. The Buteos do tend to prefer non aerial targets, in seems. They are more of an air to ground attack bird., whereas such as Accipiters and Falcons will do the aerial turn and burn, more often than attacking a grounded target.
Its curious to me, that Shrikes are not listed as a raptor. They most certainly are effective hunters, and we even have a missile named after them. A radar seeking air to ground type, known for its terrain following ability and pinpoint accuracy. Just like its namesake. Lol. Thanks for letting me chime in, BTW.
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