It’s Not Easy Being a Predator

This fascinating piece comes to us courtesy of BirdScope, a publication of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology of Cornell University.

Mark Blackstock of Molena, Georgia, writes, “While walking in the woods this morning, we found this hawk. It must have grabbed the snake, but the snake had it instead. I got my camera and after taking these shots, I realized the hawk was still breathing.”



Mark managed to free the bird from what appears to be a black rat snake. Mark continues, “The hawk immediately started gasping for breath and within a minute, got up and flew up to a tree branch. He gave us a long look and then flew away through the trees. Not many people can say they have saved a hawk from certain death.”



Red-shouldered Hawks eat reptiles, including snakes. And this is an adult bird, which must have had experience catching large snakes before. But in this case, it probably wrapped its talons around the snake without sinking its claws into it, and the snake slithered out in its own desperate attempt to stay alive. It’s not easy being a predator.

Victoire au Faucon !!!

photos © and courtesy: Mark & Susan Blackstock