Squirrels have nasty teeth. They bite the foot that grabs them. If
any hawk has an injury to his/her [more likely] weapons then they
starve. It does not take a bird long to realize that there are
better marks as prey.
Hawk banders can show you the healed scars from bites on
talons....and those were the lucky ones.
Barbara
Fairfax Co.
On Nov 9, 2007, at 5:48 PM, Tom & Lynda Blair wrote:
I have a pair of RSH's that nest in my woods. I've never seen them bother with squirrels at all. Like you, I can't quite figure out why? I've seen squirrels actually brazen enough to go into the hawks' nest to hide nuts (not during incubation period) with the RSH on a branch next to the nest.
The first time I saw this I figured for sure it was curtains for the
squirrel. No problem, tho.
The squirrels indeed do know that the RSH won't bother them. That being said, if a Red-tailed Hawk should come into the area, there isn't a squirrel to be found:)
Thanks for the heads-up on Ned's book. Just ordered it. Can't wait to see it.
Lynda Blair
New Kent County
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