Female goshawk and mink (1 Viewer)

[razorsharp]

like here ive had red tails nesting by my house for the past 10 years they will catch a rabbit or a hare thats the same size of a cat but the hawks never go after cats and actually the two will often be found very close to each other

Animals evolve over thousands of years to know what other animals are capable of, which to avoid, which to attack and which to run from. Evolution has thought the hawk to leave the cat alone and vice versa. I think there are reports however of Red-Tails killing cats.

Excellent pictures by the way CAU!

 

[Himalaya]

CAU i have seen a collection of photographs on this website but about ravens...i would love to see if the same website or photographer has any photos on other birds other than goshawks and ravens...if it is one photographer then he or she captured some photos of 2 ravens killing a herring gull and laods of spectacular shots of the elusive goshawk....i wonder what othe bird photos he or she has managed to capture.....

 

[nirofo]

That's certainly not true, at least not in Finland. They actually very frequently hunt gulls at rubbish tips.
http://www.tarsiger.com/gallery/index.php?pic_id=komi1201081954&lang=eng
http://www.lintukuva.fi/lajikuvat/accgen/7accgen306i.jpg
http://www.lintukuva.fi/lajikuvat/accgen/7accgen314i.jpg

They certainly liked Black-headed Gulls in the Peak District and surrounding areas.

nirofo.

 

[tburke]

I was involved with a female Harris Hawk-mink situation in which I intervened.
This bird dispatched grey squirrels with little trouble, the mink however counterattacked in a far more aggressive way than a squirrel.
I grabbed the mink (female) around the chest with a welding glove and applied pressure hoping she would yield but she only struggled more savagely.The Harris would be about the same size as a female goshawk with larger, stronger feet.
I believe immature raptors will tackle prey that is beyond their capability and learn from their mistakes (assuming they survive).
Many hawks will develop an aversion to squirrel hunting after sustaining bites.