Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Young Red Tailed Hawk in Tompkins Square Park
Today we saw our first immature Red Tailed Hawk of the season . The hawk was occupied with the task of clumsily and unsuccessfully hunting for suirrel in Tompkins Square Park.
Usually one or more 9 to 11 month old fully grown though immature Red Tailed hawks occupy Tompkins Square Park from late October to the middle of the following March .
This hawk as do all young hawks has to learn to hunt successfully this fall and winter or perish . Today's hawk though large , beautifully and distinctively marked was having more than its share of trouble trying to catch just one squirrel . Hunting squirrel even in squirrelly TSP requires skills that are not easily learned , even by such a potentially masterful predator as todays impressive appearing bird of prey .
Though we did not see this hawk catch a squirrel this hawk did have a swollen crop indicating that it had caught something earlier and thus would have at least some sustenance today .
Comments:
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OMFG!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOL,
You are too much, how on gods green earth, do you do it!
Another brilliant catch, thanks for doing what you do!
LOL,
You are too much, how on gods green earth, do you do it!
Another brilliant catch, thanks for doing what you do!
# posted by 
: 9:11 AM
: 9:11 AM
I saw one of the hawks yesterday during my lunch break. It was about ten feet away from me sitting on the garbage can watching me eat. It was such a beautiful bird. I tried to get a picture of it with my camera phone but it didn't really come out. The one that I saw yesterday had more white feathers on its head. I couldn't believe how big it was.
I live not two blocks from TSP and have seen a young red-tail - possibly the same - but definitely still with his white fledge feathers. You need not worry about his hunting skills. Mid-December I was walking by the park, and to my delight, he whooshed down to the sidewalk about fifteen feet in front of me, scaring a woman who was passing by as well. He scooped up a squirrel, then proceeded to flap up to a stop light pole and eat. He stayed for a good five minutes, then flew off further into the park to finish his meal.
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