I posted a RSH image in Avian today, with the following comment:
A most cooperative subject, I thought. It even called for me a number of times. Finally, looking behind me, I realized that it was actually ticked off at me. I was between it and a circle of Coots that it was eyeballing for breakfast! I left; I hope it was successful in its pursuit.
Rich Ditch rightly called this to doubt, saying,
"
I'd be surprised if a red-shoulder would take a Coot: their preferred foods are frogs and toads, snakes and lizards, small rodents, small birds. I'd be interested to hear from people who've seen them take Coots or other larger prey."
I admit this is an assumption based on the circumstance of a repeated call from the bird while I was photographing it, and a more general observation of the arrival of Red Tails as well as Red Shoulders coinciding with the migrating Coots.I have seen Red Tails capture Coots, but never the smaller Red Shouldered. I guess my question to those more versed than me in avian behavior is, if I wasn't between the RSH and its prey, why was it calling, which it did repeatedly from its perch?
Posted by Richard Ditch on November 6, 2012 at 5:12 PM
From the excellent but seldom used Audubon Guides - All the Birds of Eastern and Central North America by Richard H. Pough, Doubleday and Co., 1946 on Red-shouldered Hawk:
This is a comparatively sluggish bird which obtains much of its food about wet areas, where it may sit by the hour in the lower branches of a tree, dropping now and then to capture such favorite items as frogs, snakes, and crayfish. When available, grasshoppers, crickets, and large caterpillars are eaten in quantities, also meadow and white-footed mice and shrews. Stomach examinations reveal that red-shoulders take few birds and little poultry, although their scavenging habits occasionally lead to their being blamed for the death of a quail or pheasant that a hunter wounded and never found.
Posted by Richard Ditch on November 6, 2012 at 5:26 PM
From The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds, edited by John K. Terres:
Feeding Habits: Catches and eats mice, shrews, moles, tree squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, opossums, skunks, occasional bird (rails, pheasants, mourning doves, woodcock, screech owls, blackbirds, meadowlarks, American robins), small snakes, lizards, turtles, toads, salamanders, grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, caterpillars, wasps, katydids, spiders, earthworms, snails, etc. (Bent, 1937).
Posted by Peter Cross on November 6, 2012 at 10:13 PM
Another answer might be that it just wanted to let you know that you were invading his space and to go away.
Posted by Buck Ward on November 7, 2012 at 7:22 AM
Red shoulders are noisy birds. It might have been calling whether you were there or not.
Posted by Mike Ramy on November 7, 2012 at 3:36 PM
Phil,
I would venture to guess that the Red Tail Hawk would be the most logical answer as to why your Red Shouldered Hawk was raising such a fuss. Red Shouldered Hawks are solitary and very territorial. They do not group with other Hawks, even in the winter. Most populations of Red Shouldered Hawks do not migrate and stay in the same area year-round, however, Red Shouldered Hawks as well as Red Tailed Hawks that breed in the northern parts of their range (southern Canada and the northeast United States) can migrate south for winter to escape harsh conditions. Red Shouldered Hawks use physical displays, such as courtship flights, and vocalizations to communicate. Biologists have established and recognize seven different calls given by Red Shouldered Hawk adults. The most common call is "kee-aah". This call is used to announce that a territory is occupied, and when the birds are alarmed. It is very possible that the Red Tailed Hawk happened into the local Red Shouldered Hawk’s territory during its migration south and that would explain what you described. The presence of human activity would generally cause the Hawk to simply fly to another location within its territory if it is not nesting.
I hope this helps.
Discussion
5 repliesRich Ditch rightly called this to doubt, saying,
I admit this is an assumption based on the circumstance of a repeated call from the bird while I was photographing it, and a more general observation of the arrival of Red Tails as well as Red Shoulders coinciding with the migrating Coots.I have seen Red Tails capture Coots, but never the smaller Red Shouldered. I guess my question to those more versed than me in avian behavior is, if I wasn't between the RSH and its prey, why was it calling, which it did repeatedly from its perch?
I would venture to guess that the Red Tail Hawk would be the most logical answer as to why your Red Shouldered Hawk was raising such a fuss. Red Shouldered Hawks are solitary and very territorial. They do not group with other Hawks, even in the winter. Most populations of Red Shouldered Hawks do not migrate and stay in the same area year-round, however, Red Shouldered Hawks as well as Red Tailed Hawks that breed in the northern parts of their range (southern Canada and the northeast United States) can migrate south for winter to escape harsh conditions. Red Shouldered Hawks use physical displays, such as courtship flights, and vocalizations to communicate. Biologists have established and recognize seven different calls given by Red Shouldered Hawk adults. The most common call is "kee-aah". This call is used to announce that a territory is occupied, and when the birds are alarmed. It is very possible that the Red Tailed Hawk happened into the local Red Shouldered Hawk’s territory during its migration south and that would explain what you described. The presence of human activity would generally cause the Hawk to simply fly to another location within its territory if it is not nesting.
I hope this helps.