Red-tailed Hawk Attacked By A Swainson’s Hawk

The Centennial Valley had one more surprise in store as we left for home last Thursday morning.  Photographing birds and other wildlife along the 27 mile long dirt road while I’m pulling the camping trailer is always awkward but the road is typically deserted that time of day and we’ve come up with something special more than once on the way out.

 

red-tailed hawk 3342 ron dudley

 1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4x  tc, not baited, set up or called in

I stopped briefly for this adult Red-tailed Hawk perched on a power pole next to the road.  I had no interest in photographing the bird on the ugly pole but hoped for some take-off shots so I took a photo or two to get my exposure right and waited for it to launch.  I remember thinking that I might be a little too close to the hawk to get take-off shots without clipping any body parts so I was considering removing my teleconverter but that takes a few seconds and I was afraid the bird would choose that moment to take off so I hesitated.  That hesitation was a huge mistake.

In hindsight as I look at the posture of the bird above (this image was taken a split-second before events began to unfold) I might have picked up a clue that something interesting was about to happen.  I’ve seen that slightly bowed posture many times before from perched raptors when other birds (raptors or even mobbing songbirds) are about to harass them.  But I missed the clue (if it was one) and had no idea as I looked through my viewfinder with my vision much restricted that all hell was about to break loose.

 

 

red-tailed hawk 3343 ron dudley

  1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4x  tc, not baited, set up or called in

Without warning my viewfinder was instantly filled with feathers as a Swainson’s Hawk swooped in and attacked the Red-tail.  I instinctively jerked my lens in an attempt to keep as much of the action in frame as possible but I was only partially successful.  The Red-tail had seen the Swainson’s coming of course and timed its response so it could present its talons in defense.  I so wish I’d at least been able to get the Swainson’s eyes in the frame but it just didn’t happen.

 

 

red-tailed hawk 3344 ron dudley

  1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4x  tc, not baited, set up or called in

 It all went down very fast – by the next shot in the burst (8 frames per second) the Swainson’s was already completely out of frame and the Red-tail was beginning to recover.

 

 

red-tailed hawk 3345 ron dudley

  1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4x  tc, not baited, set up or called in

Here the recovery is almost complete.  It looks like the Red-tail might come back down on the pole but it didn’t and flew off.

Swainson’s Hawks are well-known for their aggressiveness toward Red-tails.  Swainson’s return to their North American breeding grounds when most other raptor species have already begun nesting so competition and combat between the two species is common as the Swainson’s attempt to reclaim nests used the previous year.  This power pole was close to a dense stand of conifers that I strongly suspect was the location of the Swainson’s nest.

This is one of those moments in my photographic life that I’d very much like to re-live but at least I got the shots that I did.

Ron

25 Comments

  1. Jane Chesebrough

    Incredible behavioural shots that many would miss totally. At least you didn’t run out of “film” at that moment!

  2. WHOA! Soooooo close! Epic

  3. What amazing shots! I had no idea that Swainson’s attacked Red-tails! Just wow! What a thing to witness!

  4. Has National Geographic or the Audubon Society seen any of your shots? They need to; your photos are THAT GOOD!!!

  5. I really like the talon to talon shot. Even without the other bird, it’s so very intense. “Hey you! Get offa my cloud!” came to mind. 😀

    • Thanks for that, Arwen. I just had to go wash all the Montana dirt and cow poop off of my truck and that darned song played in my mind the entire time. Having an encore now…

  6. Oh wow. How frustrating not to have captured it all, how exhilarating to have been there. Yet another amazing sequence.

  7. Charlotte Norton

    Fantastic shots Ron! Your reflexes are a lot better than mine.
    Charlotte

  8. An incredible observation for one, but you were able to snap some photos! Glad you shared Ron. I love it.

    • Thanks, Bryce. I sure am jealous of what you’re doing up there this summer, even though I realize it’s a young mans game and that leaves me out.

  9. Wow!!! Great action shots. Those talons!!!

  10. What a great time for a photographer, even tho there were some things one wishes he did differently! Fantastic experience, and you got a chance to film it because of your interest and knowledge! So what if it is not perfect in your mind, to your fan base those are terrific shots and the fact that you are willing to share it makes it doubly more rewarding for us!! Many thanks!

    • Thanks very much, Dick. And you’re right, it was a “fantastic experience” to have witnessed even if I didn’t get the perfect shot. I was smiling for the rest of the way to the pavement on that dirt road.

  11. Patty Chadwick

    What a wild capture! It would definitely have nice to get the Swainson’s’s eyes, but the talons too it all!!!

  12. Jorge H. Oliveira

    This is another reason why I like your blog. Being a great photographer as you are, you don’t mind showing the small mistakes you do once in a while.
    The lesson that I have learned from today’s images – Always be prepared especially if the bird is on a “UGLY” spot.
    Great shots.
    Thank you for sharing.

    • Well then, Jorge – you should have ample reason to like my blog because I sure make lots of mistakes!

      I appreciate your feedback. Actually, I got a couple of shots this morning that I would have missed if I hadn’t been thinking about these shots and being prepared for the next unexpected event. Another lesson learned… I’ll probably post those shots in the fairly near future.

  13. Stunning! Thanks for sharing this drama with us, Ron.

  14. Wow Ron! Nice capture!

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