We often think of raptors as powerful, fierce, or deadly. They are predators, after all, and those qualities are essential for hunting down their next meal. But there is a time for delicacy, even for a carnivore.
A wild Red-tailed Hawk called "Arthur" demonstrated one of these moments on a live nest cam last week. When his mate leaves him with three eggs in the nest, Arthur must step in - carefully - to incubate. His dangerous talons, normally poised to grip, curve inward as he balls his foot and gingerly steps around his fragile eggs:
Our own hawk, Carson, has felt her own nesting instincts kick in. She has gathered newspaper and sticks in one corner of her mew and tends her "nest" carefully. She similarly steps gingerly, walking awkwardly with her rear talon tucked to minimize damage:
(And this was just moments after she pounced on and quickly devoured a rat. I suppose even the toughest among us have a soft side, too!)
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