Red-Shouldered Hawk with prey (snake) (Buteo lineatus)

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Photo by Jack Settle

Published on Project Noah

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36.7473, -95.9808

Field Notes

Description:

While I am a snake lover, I witnessed the coolest thing! Sorry the photos are not chronologically ordered, but I wanted several of them first. I saw this red-shouldered hawk and I had my camera, so my mom pulled over and let me out. The red-shouldered hawk was on the power line (5th photo) when I first saw it, then it swooped down, caught a snake, and retreated to a fence post (2nd then 1st photos). It then picked apart the snake and ate it (3rd photo), then sat for a minute (4th photo) and then flew off.

Habitat:

Roadside fence and power line

Notes:

This is one of the coolest acts of nature I have ever witnessed, just because of the hawk's precision and amazing eyesight. And I got a series of photos!!

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (14)

Jack Settle

Wow! Yeah I never have much luck with flying shots of birds. I usually forget to change the shutter speed to a smaller fraction so it will capture it faster, and end up with blurry pictures. I did get really lucky with this one. We've seen this bird here before, so I try to bring my camera if we're driving by. Right across the street is a neighborhood, and down the street is a McDonald's, fire station, and a whole parking lot full of stores. It's not that wild, which is pretty cool.

Jellis

Boy you had some great luck to capture that. My closest was when I was trying to take pictures of small birds in a park that had lots of trees. I heard a shreech and a Cooper's Hawk flew passed me as it snatched a bird in flight. By the time I registered all that I only got the shot of it after landed on a branch. When it realized I was there he took his lunch and flew over some houses.

Jack Settle

Thanks Emily and Smith Zoo!

Smith Zoo

Super series! Well done Jack!

EmilyMarino

Loved the story and the notes! Congrats on your amazing encounter!

Jack Settle

NewYorker: They are beautiful birds! Jared: Thanks!

JC_Forester

Awesome series Jack!

Evergreen

Beautiful bird