Crow Vs Hawk
 

Well she’s back. I have been seeing her a couple times a day- seems like when I’m outside she is always around.. This was yesterday morning, right in front of my house on my street light. She was sitting on the light and the crow kept swooping down, it took a couple times and she went further down my street, the crow followed her and kept swooping down to get her- she finally got irritated and left to the hills.

Why wouldn't the hawk just mess that crow up?? I don’t understand how the hawk just sits there and takes that abuse! Shes a big girl, her wing span is amazing!! I should upload the video... you can really see her wing span. I took this pics from the video!

She was in my front yard again this morning.. Once she saw me she went into the trees..

Ok here is the video!!

Crow Vs Hawk - YouTube

My back yard opens up on "open space" near a lake. We had lots of birds and wild life and I have seen many hawks being bombed by crows. They just take it and try to fly away. The crows are very aggressive and will eat other birds babies from the nest.

Crows are big. You should see it in my back yard when the blue jays do that to the Great Horned Owls! That is a sight to see! They yell at the owl and harrass it and then you hear them all the way down the street chasing the owl off lol

Hawks and Owls - they go after the defenseless (as nature would have it - easy to eat so they can live). But they don't want to fight :)

That is how my yard is too.. We have tons of land behind us- our house is backed up on hills. I see lots of animals too! Crows, Falcons, Owls, Road Runners, Alligator Lizards.. etc etc.

I read that the crows are really territorial. The hawks will eat the crow’s nest, they see the Hawk as a threat. I just find it so crazy this big hawk is taking that kind of abuse from a crow!! One squeeze from those big talons the crow wouldn’t have a chance!!

Maybe the crow is protecting a nest. Mama crow on the eggs, and daddy crow giving the predator trouble.

It's amazing what birds will do to protect a nest. Some are aggressive, while others are clever.

One day I had my pups at the dog park, and we were the only ones on the small dog side. There were two adult killdeer sitting on the top of the fence, and they started to come inside and land on the ground. Jezebel loves to chase birds, so she started chasing them.

They didn't fly away, they were doing it over and over, like they were playing with her and taunting her. No attacks, just like they were wanting her to chase them.

I started paying attention to the birds. They would land on the ground and act funny, with their wings spread out on the ground, flapping. Then when she would get close they would fly away. They didn't fly up in the air, but instead would fly about 12 - 18 inches off of the ground for quite a distance. They were wanting her chase them for as long of a distance as possible. (She got great exercise that day).

I thought there might be a nest in there that they were protecting, so I started looking around. Then I finally noticed them, two little tiny baby killdeer, running and hiding, running and hiding. They looked like perfect miniature specimens of the adults. I watched them and it took awhile, but I finally was able to gently herd them (without my pups noticing) until they jumped through the holes of the chain link fence to the outside of the enclosure. Then the adults stopped trying to get Jezebel to chase them and left. Their job was done.

So fascinating! If you ever come upon a killdeer and their nest (they nest on the ground, often near human traffic), they will try to get your attention to draw you away. First they act like they have an injured wing, then when you go to check it out, they fly several feet away and try the act all over again, trying to draw you further and further away.

Aww I love Blue Jay’s, reminds me of my Gparents.. I would always see them in my Gparents backyard. My Gma loved them and would feed them.

That is pretty neat.. I would love to see that!!

The crow is definitely protecting a nest. So are the blue jays in my yard.

These raptor birds go after small animals, but they go after eggs just as much.

OMG! How cool is that!! It is so amazing the tiny little brains they have can be so intelligent! I have seen a bird that looks something like that.. it might be a Killdeer.. not sure. She had a nest on DH’s parents house’s land. They have a Lake Front house- Down where they Lake is they have a Volleyball court- with the sand.. One day we were going on the boat and I heard Peanut barking, I look and I see a bird like 1 foot in front of him, chirping really loud. I walk over and then this bird got all crazy on me.. she tried to fly up and scare me and she kept chirping at me.. then I look down and she had her nest with eggs in there on the ground!! It was really neat to see! We made sure she was left alone from dogs, and our nephews!! LOL

Now that I think of it, it was a KillDeer!!

This happens every time a hawk comes into our area. The big black birds will torment the hawk until it decides to move on. Sometimes it takes a couple of weeks and sometimes it make only take a day. Every time the hawk perches some where the birds swoop at it until it flies to another perch. Finally it gets fed up and leaves.

Definitely!! I also think Miss Hawk has a nest around my house somewhere- I see her every day, sometimes a couple times a day.


Definitely!! I also think Miss Hawk has a nest around my house somewhere- I see her every day, sometimes a couple times a day.


I have a grassy knoll on the right side of my house, I have tons of bunnies that live under the bushes- They haven’t came out yet.. Do you know when wild bunnies come out? I have a feeling they won’t be around as much now that this hawk has been around as much as she is. I use to think she was only in the back, but I have been seeing her in the front yard way more!

A lady that works at my vets office told me that she and two family members were outside with her 3.5 lb yorkie and a owl swooped down and got her, and all they could do was watch as the owl took her away...everyone please stay alert when having your little ones outside

I have never really seen it up close as this. The hawk will go and perch up in the hills on a big boulder- However the crows do not bother here when she is back there only when she is in the front of the house… It makes sense now knowing the crows probably have a nest in one of the trees..

Saturday I was in the front yard with DH, all of a sudden we hear this squawking and the sound of wings flapping.. we look up and it was our hawk ( I think the same one) flying over us with 2 crows on each side of her squawking at her..

OMG Was it in the day? How horrible, those poor people. Peanut is NEVER outside without me or DH and without a leash on. I use to let him play in the backyard- I would throw his ball for him, but with all these sightings we won’t do that anymore- he is walked on a leash/harness and he is still pretty close to me and I’m on constant look out.

**The people that use to live in our house said they had their Min pin and Chihuahua outside playing in the grass and a Coyote came running and swooped up the Chihuahua!! I have yet to see Coyotes in the front, but every once in a while I hear them in the hills..

I am VERY scared of hawks, but trust me...I am way more scared of the owls. Owls are bigger and will go after bigger prey. They will both dive down and try when starving, though.

I hope everyone is always alert and does anything you can to deter (you can't prevent but you can deter...make your yard less inviting as the one nextdoor). I have holographic ribbons all thru my yard, Mandie wears an orange vest, and I am always in the yard around her...never sitting to the side and watching her.

Yes it was in the daytime and it is so scary to think of one flying away while you can only watch


I have a back porch closed in with wire and lattice so mine can go in and out through a doggie door, they love to lay in the sun and i don't have to worry that something is going to take them away for lunch :eek:

We have a full enclosed dog run that connects to Peanuts doggy door. It is bolted down and has a top, Peanut hangs out in there and sun baths.. I keep an eye on him still but no bird can get in there..

That is great..I live on lake Barkley, so we have all types of predators lurking around so we have to be extra careful we see owls, hawks and all kinds of wildlife..

Ohh how pretty! I bet you do have tons of critters~ do you have a view of the lake?

Since I am surrounded by trees I can only guess that there are a lot of smaller birds that are not putting up with a hawk in their area. I have seen sparrows to after them, too. We do have some crows that chase them but the smaller birds will do it if they feel challenged. I can usually tell when a hawk has come into the area because the bird noise level goes up considerably. It can get annoying in the summertime but at least they are doing their jobs.

AW, i always feel sorry for those hawks being harassed. They are much bigger & slower. It takes them a lot of energy to fight off successfully corvid intruders, so they usually save their strength & leave for a bit. The crows, ravens, jays are nesting at this time as well, so they're extra aggressive & protective.

You def got a pretty RedTail there! Probably the male of a mated pair that is mostly responsible for providing for the female & young at this time. I know we're all worried about our babies, but its a tough life for those birds too.

The most common black colored Bird around here is the Grackle, and they don't stay long. Additionally, very few Hawks as well. Given that I have a very thick Canopy over the property, I believe it's just not conducive to their needs, to hang around for very long. Our most popular (territorially sensitive) species are the Blue Jays and Mocking Birds...however

I have one lonely pair of Cardinals which reside in a large bush at the back Fence. They are always "attacking" transient Cats, and apparently do a good enough job at disbursing them, that the other Birds rarely get involved.

I felt sorry for the hawk too. I’m not sure how much of that I could have handled. LOL He handled it well! He is gorgeous, I try so hard to get a picture up close but he won’t let me get too close.. I came out of my front door yesterday morning and he was sitting on the street light ( where he ate that squirrel a month or so ago) I went to get my phone and he flew away!! I really don’t mind him around.. I know he will never be able to have the chance of getting Pnut so he doesn’t bother me.. it kind of stinks I can’t let Peanut play in the backyard without a leash, but oh well! Peanut will get over it. Peanut gets walks so he is fine with that.

It is really amazing how many stories I hear of hawks/ owls taking our babies.. Yesterday our air conditioner guy was giving us a quote on a new unit and once he saw Peanut he said “ Oh I had a Yorkie, an owl came and swooped her up one day!! It’s so sad..

So you think this is a pair? Where do they usually have their nests? Hmm I wonder if it is in one of the trees in my neighborhood..?? It just seems like I see them a lot, pretty much daily.. sometimes 2-3 times.

I love the big birds also....but at a distance. The hawks really don't bother me, but I haven't had to watch them eat their meals in my yard! As I said the smaller birds always let me know when a hawk is around.

It's the owls that are the threat where I live. They are so silent when they fly and contrary to what some people think they do hunt after sunrise. They are not the least bit afraid of people or pets. They will sit on low branches and leer at me as I go by. I won't walk Gracie during owl hours.:eek:

Very informative info. Also, that hawk is big. Does make me wonder why it gets bullied around.

OMG That would be scary to walk by an owl and have him stay there.. at least the hawks won’t let you get close. Owls are very sneaky and you are right so quiet!! I haven’t seen any owls yet, but I heard one! I know I have some around!

Inga said in a couple posts up

"They are much bigger & slower. It takes them a lot of energy to fight off successfully corvid intruders, so they usually save their strength & leave for a bit. "

15 Incredible Pictures of Owls with Freshly Caught Prey

Some amazing pictures of Owls and their prey.

I don't really feel sorry for the hawk or the owl when it is bullied by the smaller birds. They are just protecting their babies.

I know it is all nature. I guess I kind of cheer for the antelope or gazelle or whatever it is when the lions are after them on animal planet. It's a tendency to route for the under dog.

With that said, I do adore watching those huge birds soar. They are gorgeous (as long as they are not after my baby). And, hey, I don't cheer for the squirrels so they can have all of those! :D

In Photos: Birds of Prey | Vultures, Hawks & Eagles | Raptors Pictueres | LiveScience

LOL I love the Harpy EAGLE LOL