Reading the Behavior of Birds and Animals in the Woods

[2fletch]

i have always paid attention to the birds while hunting. Blue Jays and crows will often fuss when a deer approaches. Squirrels also can let you know that there's something moving. When the woods is quite,you have probably been detected. If it's noisy then you are probably in the clear.

Yesterday I saw something unusual. A hawk was sitting on my chain link fence watching a squirrel on the ground maybe 30 feet away. After a minute or so he went after the squirrel, picking him up, but then dropping him back on the ground. After about 10 seconds he went after him again, and did the same thing, dropping him back to the ground. After that he just sit on the fence and watched the squirrel, who seemed unafraid of the hawk, staying out in the open for the next 3-4 minutes. Only after I went outside did they both leave. Does anyone have an explanation of what that was about?

[durp]

Not sure but may have been a young hawk not sure what to do...one things forsure that tree rat ain't gonna live long

[Pat B]

A young hawk playing with his food? 

[Sam McMichael]

I have also found that lots of alarm cries often indicate that deer or other animals have been spotted. I pay attention to them.

[The Whittler]

It's like fishing catch and release or the squirrel wasn't big enough. 

[2fletch]

The hawk appeared to be grown, but he is spending a lot of time in the neighborhood, flying low to the ground in and out of the shadows. If he is a juvenile, that could explain his behavior, but how about the squirrel? Why would he seem fearless of the hawk?

[olddogrib]

That's a "head-scratcher".  The only hawk-squirrel encounter I've had I missed the main event.  A mature red- tailed had just killed a full grown gray in my back yard.  It must've been a tussle, as the hawk was still squatting on the ground, apparently exhausted with the squirrel in its talons.  I had just let our English Bulldog out to potty and here she goes all big and bad and grumbly before I could stop her.  She's looks like a force to be reckoned with, but is a big pansy.  That bird froze her in her tracks with the "if you want this come and get ya some" stare!  Wished I had a video, lol.

[Broken Arrows]

More then likely the squirrel bit the hawk. If it is a young hawk they are learning all about life when the hawk gets hungry it will be different for the squirrel.

[Terry Green]

Easy.... cat and mouse.

Played by many animals...

If the hawk had not been disturbed it would have disturbed it would have most likely eaten they eaten the squirrel sooner or later.

[Wose]

That's a cool story. It sounds like juvenile or young adult hunting behavior on the part of the hawk, but I'm at a loss to explain why the squirrel would stick around for a second round.

Jon Young's book What the Robin Knows and the companion DVDs are a great study on bird behavior. I've also done the Kamana course he helped start at Wilderness Awareness School.

[2fletch]

The squirrel had a choice of escape routes. There was a briar patch nearby that he could have made it to, as well as large trees. He seemed more interested in a food search out in the open. 

[Alexander Traditional]

Almost sounds like that squirrel was sick.

[shankspony]

That was my thought too.

[2fletch]

A couple of squirrels in the neighborhood have been hit with a pellet gun but survived. Maybe this was one of them, and he wasn't as quick as he once was. Perhaps he or she decided to fight rather then try to escape. At any rate the squirrel hung around for several minutes in the open. Only when I opened the door to take a photo did the hawk, and then the squirrel decide to move on. Any other thoughts?