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Red-tails, the great bunny killer

Started by chain, October 23, 2012, 09:37:03 PM

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chain

Probably some folks like to watch red-tailed hawks kill rabbits. Well, I've watch so many little rabbits this fall get smacked by red-tails I've grown sick of it.

All this when combining soybeans the hawks wait patiently until a good portion of the field is harvested and the rabbits make a break for it, hardly ever does a rabbit escape. Sometimes I'll swerve the combine to run  the hawks off but they are too clever, they seem to know they are protected. >:(

JohnW

Interesting.  I don't see them that much.  I have seen them (and other hawks) diving by the interstate.  They seem oblivious to the traffic  -- totally distracted by their prey.

chain

I know this sounds trivial, but the record 'rabbit massacre' was fifteen rabbits slain by red-tails in about four hours one afternoon by at least nine hawks! I chased one old hawk with the machine, he dragged a rabbit along in one talon, and skipped along the stubble finally getting turned into the wind, he took flight with his prize.

They will never have a season on hawks for the simple reason of protection of eagles. Also have had three eagles coming in to the fields, usually they just stand there or walk around curiously watching the operation.

WDH

I have had the cattle egrets also follow my tractor when mowing fields to get the grasshoppers and mice.  They seem to understand the process very well, just like the hawks.  They know exactly what is going on.
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Raider Bill

Quote from: chain on October 24, 2012, 07:47:59 AM
I know this sounds trivial, but the record 'rabbit massacre' was fifteen rabbits slain by red-tails in about four hours one afternoon by at least nine hawks! I chased one old hawk with the machine, he dragged a rabbit along in one talon, and skipped along the stubble finally getting turned into the wind, he took flight with his prize.

They will never have a season on hawks for the simple reason of protection of eagles. Also have had three eagles coming in to the fields, usually they just stand there or walk around curiously watching the operation.

I've got a family of Coopers Hawks eyeballing my chickens. Not much I can do but keep them locked up.
The First 70 years of childhood is always the hardest.

chevytaHOE5674

Quote from: Raider Bill on October 24, 2012, 08:34:29 AM
I've got a family of Coopers Hawks eyeballing my chickens. Not much I can do but keep them locked up.

There's things that you can do involving a firearm, just don't tell anybody and dispose of the evidence completely...

Raider Bill

I live in the heart of the big concrete and palm tree city next to a county park and along a very busy exercise trail. Even a pellet gun going off makes people excited.

Chain, are the rabbits bad for soybeans or don't they matter?
The First 70 years of childhood is always the hardest.

Cypressstump

I once witnessed two redtails in New Mexico work on a rabbit. The rabbit was under some thick sagebrush, the hawks could not get at it at all.

The two hawks were circling around overhead as I watched. One of them folded up it's wings behind it's back, fell earthwards, spiraling down not very fast, it hit the top of that sagebush with open wings, flushing the rabbit out, where the other hawk nailed the rabbit on the run.

Then something happened I would have never expected to see but maybe only on TV. The hawk that grabbed the rabbit, passed it off to the other hawk in mid flight. They then flew off together. I guess the male may have passed the rabbit to the female for feeding some young ? ?  dunno',,, but was cool as all git out to see in person.
Stump

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Norm

The red tail hawks follow me when I'm mowing hay. They are mostly after the mice and snakes but I've seen them snatch rabbits too. It must be ingrained in them when they see a tractor doing tillage work they fly overhead waiting for a mouse to show up.

chain

Quote from: Raider Bill on October 24, 2012, 09:29:06 AM
I live in the heart of the big concrete and palm tree city next to a county park and along a very busy exercise trail. Even a pellet gun going off makes people excited.

Chain, are the rabbits bad for soybeans or don't they matter?

Sometimes rabbits eat the young soybeans especially along the fence rows or ditch banks. Early in the growing season the herbicides we sprayed kill all grasses and weeds leaving hardly anything for rabbits to eat except for the bean leaves and tender stems. Once the soybeans are taller and offers a hidey the rabbits take to the beans as they would a briar patch.

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