this post was submitted on 16 Jul 2024
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Very small birds sometimes like to hang around or even nest near large raptors. The small birds are too small to be worth eating for the big predators, but they keep smaller predators that might be a danger at bay. I’ve seen this specifically with hummingbirds.
This looks like a sharp-shinned hawk, which feeds on these little birds.
Looks like forced perspective. I think the hawk isn't looking at the little bird, but from our angle it looks like they're face to face, so we assume they are much closer than they are.
I can see how it looks that way... But the size proportions are about right. If anything the little bird is only a few feet in front of the hawk. But I think you're right that the hawk is looking behind the little bird.
They're looking at the bird. The bird is closer to the camera in front of them on a branch.
You're right, but they're on a branch right in front of the hawk.
That’s definitely not a sharp-shinned hawk. Looks like a buteo of some sort but I’m not the best at hawk ID. Maybe a red-tail. They can have so many different color morphs I am never sure though.
Sharp-shinned hawk is much smaller and has different coloration.
Is it not a red-tailed hawk? They are extremely common across North America.
That’s what I think it is, just didn’t want to be overconfident.
Look at the 5th picture in the carousel here:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sharp-shinned_Hawk/id
It sure looks like one to me. We have one staking out our bird feeder in the backyard, and we're pretty upset about that.
Some of the red tailed hawks look similar too. I guess that I just don't know!
Whoops, I replied to the wrong comment, although that's part of the same chain. You can see it here.
Look at the size and body proportions. Very different species. Coloration varies quite a bit as you can see but sharp-shins are small and fragile looking since they’re built for agility. Larger hawks are a lot bulkier.
About 75% it’s a red-tailed hawk, and if not, another species in genus Buteo. They generally don’t eat small songbirds like the one pictured.
Oh, then maybe that's not a sharp-shinned in our tree either. I just used Google Lens and pictures to try to identify it.
True, but hummingbirds are also insane. That's why they're the God of war.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hu%C4%ABtzil%C5%8Dp%C5%8Dchtli
Fascinating wiki rabbit-hole, ty!
When watching eagle nest cams, I've seen little birds and mammals hanging around eagle nests and scooping up scraps of leftover prey. I think in many cases a large raptor isn't going to go chasing around a little birds when they've already caught something bigger and the little birds play clean up crew and take away scraps that would be too small for the larger birds. Not sure if that's the case here but it's a cool little cooperative situation to notice. You'll also see little birds nesting under osprey nests, probably for the same reason.