Karen Sharp

Karen Sharp

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Baby Hawk Gets Snatched By Eagle- Is It Dinner Or Is It Family?

Northern hawk goshawk chick in nest - Accipiter gentilis.

Photo: Getty Images

Two bald eagles adopt a baby red tail hawk. The baby hawk was adopted and is being raised alongside their own eaglet, but the hawk is now part of the eagles family it could have been dinner.

"This bird likely came from a red-tailed hawk nest that was preyed upon by the adult bald eagles," ornithologist David Bird, a professor emeritus of wildlife biology at Montreal's McGill University, told As It Happens guest host Tom Harrington.

The baby hawk was discovered by webcam footage that is used to monitor the endangered spices.

"And the next thing you know, the little hawk bounces up and starts begging for food right away," Bird said. "That's what saved its life."

Pam McCartney, is the volunteer who discovered the eagle dropping the baby hawk in the nest. She was sure the hawk would be a goner.

"Usually when I watch, like David Attenborough and his shows, I can close my eyes or fast forward or whatever, but this was live at the time, and I was just like, oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh," McCartney said.

She was surprised when the they both didnt attack the hawk.

"She just kind of dropped it, you know, and it came alive. And [the] eaglet was just like, 'What the heck, Mom? What is this? Why is it moving?'"

At fist the eagle and baby weren't interacting with the baby hawk, but by nightfall the three were all happy family.

There is a few webcams that monitor the eagle nests that have all the information on the species. McCartney says the momma Eagle lost one of her Eaglets a few weeks back and they think this baby hawk is the replacement.

"In my mind of growing up on Disney, I'm seeing this eaglet think like, 'Was this another little sibling?'" she said.

This is the second time that this has happened when a eagle takes another baby under its wing. Its a good thing the baby hawk survived the eagles talons.

"I've had these on my fist. I know what that feels like," he said.

its great that the eagle landed in nest that is monitored by camera so others can see this rare moment.

"I don't think in my lifetime I would have believed I'd see that," Bird said. "It's quite a rare thing to see."

As for the hawk he's been adapting to the new environment.

"He's in very good health. And his sibling has seemed to have accepted him," he said.

Enjoy this rare moment

SOURCE: CBC


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