We walked into the mew hallway and Carson started flapping her wings wildly, whacking me in the face. Once she stood still on my glove and I got a chance to brush my bangs from my eyes, Carson's posture was different than any I had noticed before. Her hackles were up; the feathers on the back of her head were raised stiffly and her eyes scanned intensely as her head swiveled. What do you think Carson saw that put her on such high-alert?
We had just walked past Otto's mew and, being one of the rare occasions that he sat at his window in the middle of the day, this was the first time Carson saw the Great Horned Owl. After a second of chaos, I rushed myself and the hawk farther down the hallway, out of view of her neighbor. Her hackles were still raised as she peered intently into the mew behind us, perhaps not realizing that we were now in front of her own empty mew.
Carson's reaction to Otto was so strong that I would venture to guess she was not just surprised to see him. I think she was afraid of him. I have only seen hackles up on a hawk when they are in a scary situation, like when caught by bird banders or getting harassed by another raptor.
A Great Horned Owl is plenty to be afraid of. They are sometimes known as "tigers of the night" and will attack just about anything that can fit in their talons. Not only are they known for commandeering Red-tailed Hawk nests for their own use, they are also one of the only predators of this large hawk.
While researching owl-hawk relationships, I found videos of real-life dramas that had my heart racing. These video clips are not for the faint of heart, so be sure to cultivate a healthy appreciation for the circle of life if you choose to watch. We might find it easier to side with the victims, but keep in mind that an owl needs to eat, too. They are only doing what they need to do to take care of their own families.
Owl and Hawk fight over a nest (3 minutes)
Owl snags a hawk out of the nest (12 seconds)
Owl takes Osprey chick and fights with Osprey adult (20 minutes)
Now that I have a better understanding of an owl and hawk's antagonistic relationship in the wild, I think I'll keep Carson and Otto far apart and out of sight.
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