I’ve never seen a dead Red-tailed Hawk. This is okay. I don’t care much for the “circle of life.” I like to think these birds live forever.
I saw a healthy one circling over a field this morning. Its wings were huge, tail splayed. Its circling is what made me think about the “Circle of life,” I guess.
This is a song from “The Lion King” that curiously glorifies the transition between generations.
As I watched the big hawk I thought: it takes a lot of protein to fuel that mother. To build the bulk, the eyes, long feathers, sharp talons and beak. Protein was obtained, for sure.
This bird is living evidence of king-of-the-jungle action. It pounces, rips, and scarfs down squirrel, rabbit, skunk, snake, other birds; keep your cat indoors.
Once, I accidentally bumped into a Red-tail hidden in weeds as it pinned a pheasant to the ground. Both birds flushed, and flew in different directions. There was blood, but the pheasant got away.
I’ve seen Red-tailed Hawks in trees near freeways, holding a mouse in one claw and biting down. I’ve seen them dealing death, but never seen one dead.
This raises the tired question: “How come we never see dead birds, of any kind?” There are many birds, but few corpses.
Science geeks tell us that birds die privately in the wild, and are consumed by bugs and scavengers. Good. Who wants to wade around in a bunch of dead birds?
But what about Red-tailed Hawks? They’re common. I notice one per mile where I live. You’d think a dead one would be pretty hard to miss.
It would make a hell of a chalk outline. As large as my Springer Spaniel. When she died, we sure as hell noticed.
Whether or not we see dead hawks, they must be out there. I’m fine with never seeing one. I don’t like to think of them keeling over from old age, spoiled squirrel, gunshots from goons, disease or whatever.
I’d rather have them stay like the one I saw this morning: Circling around, with no end in sight.
Birds don’t die like we do, they simply reach a “higher plane of existence,” like Jonathan Livingston Seagull…
I saw a dead red-tailed hawk on the side of the road yesterday. sad.
I always hate to see a bird of any kind dead. But for a couple of days on my regular city street walks I saw a dead cedar waxwing. They are so beautiful when a flock of them eat berries on nearby bushes. But seeing one dead gave me a chance to really look at them in all their glory. They look like they have painted faces, almost like native Americans we used to see in movies. Bright yellow on a canvas of dove gray.