Hawks with prey **WARNING** Don't look if you're squeamish!

[Sharon]

Please let me know if these are inappropriate and I will remove them. I wasn't sure if I should post these or not because they are a little gory. I did a search through some old threads and saw others had posted some birds with their capture. So, I'm going to post a couple because I am trying to figure out what kind of hawks these are. I've checked a couple of websites, but I'm still not sure. These were both shot in my backyard, which makes me a little nervous about putting out bird feeders. I'd hate to see the little guys become the next victim.

Here they are. Captured on two different occassions.

The first one was farther back in my yard. It seemed like whatever it caught must have been rather large from the number and size of the feathers that were around.
#1

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And another angle because everything I was reading seemed to talk about the way the top of the head looked.
#2

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The second one was much closer on the railing of our deck.
#3

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#4

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Thanks for any help you can provide with the types of birds they are. And I hope I didn't gross anyone out.

 

[Flew]

Not inappropriate at all Sharon, and it was nice of you to put the warning in for those that don't want to look. Hawks have to eat too.

Nice captures. :smile:

 

[Gale]

Excellent shots
Hey they have to eat
First one looks like from a couple feathers was a dove

 

[snownow]

Nice capture, such is life. (for what ever he is eating)

 

[dmwphoto]

nice set captured here Sharon.

 

[hangin tree]

Nice Real life experiance in the wild.

Nice Capture

 

[Dave]

I believe the first one is an adult Cooper's Hawk.

http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/Infocenter/i3330id.html

The 2nd one looks like an immature Cooper's Hawk. (same link as above)

Great captures!

 

[Sharon]

Not inappropriate at all Sharon, and it was nice of you to put the warning in for those that don't want to look. Hawks have to eat too.

Nice captures. :smile:

Thank you, Frank. I was pretty excited to get these with some decent clarity since I was shooting through a window.

Excellent shots
Hey they have to eat
First one looks like from a couple feathers was a dove

Gale, thanks so much. I am pretty sure it was a dove. We have a lot of them around our yard. I was shocked when I saw all the feathers. Didn't realize they would go after something that big.

Nice capture, such is life. (for what ever he is eating)

Thank you, Robert. Yes, true, the cycle of life. Still not something a lot of people are used to seeing, including me.

nice set captured here Sharon.

Thank you, Dave, for the compliment and taking the time to post.

Nice Real life experiance in the wild.

Nice Capture

Gary, thank you. "Nice real life experience in the wild." That's kind of funny, 'cause my backyard isn't really all that wild.

 

[Sharon]

I believe the first one is an adult Cooper's Hawk.

http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/Infocenter/i3330id.html

The 2nd one looks like an immature Cooper's Hawk. (same link as above)

Great captures!

Dave, thank you! I was thinking Cooper's Hawk or Sharp-shinned Hawk. I didn't think they were the same hawk because one had yellow eyes and the other had red eyes. Plus, the coloring was so different on each of them.

Thanks for the link to that website, also. I'm going to look further into it and see what else I can find out.

 

[TOLady]

Good captures, Sharon! Not all meat comes out of a grocery store vacuum packed on a styrofoam tray! Birds have to eat...

 

[cajun angel]

Awsome photos! Sharon, you certainly captured nature at it's best (?) Hawks have to eat too, you know! And it's nice that you gave the little warning! Beautiful hawks!

 

[eng45ine]

Cool shots Sharon, what an amazing creature.

 

[OHcorgis]

Great shots! Could the second shots be a red tailed hawk? Looks like the ones in my area.

 

[Sharon]

Awsome photos! Sharon, you certainly captured nature at it's best (?) Hawks have to eat too, you know! And it's nice that you gave the little warning! Beautiful hawks!

Dianne, thank you. It definitely made for an exciting few minutes for me with both of these hawks.

Good captures, Sharon! Not all meat comes out of a grocery store vacuum packed on a styrofoam tray! Birds have to eat...

Sandi, thanks! And I got a chuckle out of your styrofoam tray comment. Yep, a natural part of nature, albeit, a little gross when it's up closer and personal.

Cool shots Sharon, what an amazing creature.

Thank you, Frank! I think I'm making some progress and I have to agree, amazing creatures to practice on.

Great shots! Could the second shots be a red tailed hawk? Looks like the ones in my area.

Dave was correct in the post above. They are both Cooper's Hawks. One is mature and one is a juvenile. I had no idea they looked that different when they are young. The thing that really threw me is that one had bright red eyes and the other bright yellow. Thanks for looking and for trying to help me identify them.