Red Tailed Thief

by Barb (your webmistress)
(St Thomas, Ontario, Canada)

This morning I was sipping my coffee as I looked out of the window, and watching my cat, Sheba, as she waited patiently for a Chipmunk to come out from under the pool deck, where they spend the winter.


She had been waiting quietly on the snow for a few minutes, when she pounced on the little critter and had him under her paws.

A moment later, a Red Tailed Hawk flew down like a bullet and grabbed the Chipmunk out of her paws, clasped it in its talons, and flew away, leaving my cat annoyed and bewildered - and missing her meal!

The cat was pretty disturbed by all this, and as I called her name to let her in, she jumped and glanced sky-ward - perhaps expecting another visit from the hawk!

I have only seen something like that on wildlife shows on television, and the whole thing was over in a moment, but it was fascinating to have seen it.

Comments for Red Tailed Thief

Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

Click here to add your own comments

Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Wow - so cool!
by: Lisa Birtch

That is a great story! I can't believe the Hawk was so gutsy - good thing it was focused on the chipmunk!

You're right - that is the kind of thing that you would never believe if you hadn't seen it for yourself!

Isn't it great how the things we notice change when we focus on different things?

I had noticed a pile of feathers and blood in my driveway a couple of weeks ago and was irritated that I hadn't seen it happen!

The next day I was out with my cats when a Red Tail called and flew out of the big maple not 10 feet away from us!

My male cat seemed to know that the sound was something to get away from, as he practically flew back into the house (I thought maybe it was because he knows he's a little plump and would make a great meal!)

Another good part of these stories I guess is that Hawks seem to prefer other birds over cats!!


Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Red Tailed Hawks.

Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.