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Re: hawk and squirrel



Eric, John, and All,
    On 2/9/01, (I posted this to C-birds back then), I watched an adult 
Cooper's Hawk eating it's prey from a window in the house.  It was perched on 
a low fallen Pine and  remained there for about 30 min., couldn't get a good 
view of what it was eating, but after it flew off I went out to have a look.  
It was a squirrel, smallish from looking at the head, (maybe a youngster from 
a fall nest?) and the bird had pulled the meat out from one spot because the 
rest of the skin was intact.
Shelley Theye
In a message dated 3/22/01 7:31:22 AM, esharrol@email.uncc.edu writes:

<< John,

As a falconer, I am very amazed by your account, and I will assume that you
correctly identified the bird.  I would say that based on the toughness of
squirrel hide, that it would be very challenging for a sharpie to break into
it.  I grew up hunting and skinning squirrels.  I've seen red-tails and
Harris hawks struggle for a while with a squirrel.  I'm even amazed that the
sharpie could kill it without losing a toe.  Again, red-tails and Harris
hawks have lost toes hunting squirrels and no doubt it happens in the wild
from time to time. 

Eric Harrold
esharrol@email.uncc.edu 
 >>



Shelley Theye
N. Chatham County, NC
Psbmt@aol.com