Red-Tail Hawk and American Kestrel

I was sitting in my office the other day when I saw an acquaintance out the window.



It was one of the local Red-Tail Hawks I've become familiar with. I grabbed my camera and ran out of the house. I worked my way out of my circle creeping along the fence line to the back of my house for a couple shots. He saw me before I could get in close and took off, flying low over a pond. I snapped a few mediocre shots and kept my eyes trained on him as he climbed out of the pond and flew over the prairie dog town across the street.





Then something peculiar happened. Another local who I see often, a female American Kestrel, flew in and started harassing him. Also known as the Sparrow Hawk a Kestrel is actually a small falcon. Females prefer open areas, like fields with prairie dog towns, and are easily identified by their medium size and conspicuous black lines over their eyes. They have the ability to hover like a humming bird by rapidly flapping their wings. This behavior is used in short bursts while hunting when soaring or a suitable perch is unavailable.

It's common for smaller birds to harass hawks. The smaller bird is usually more maneuverable and will make short attacks to which the hawk is generally unfazed, but the Kestrel was different. She was aggressive and relentless in her pursuit of the Red-tail. She expertly linked a series of high speed dives and attacks with close formation flying. She had an answer to every evasive maneuver the Red-tail tried, out diving, out turning, and out climbing him. It was an impressive display of airmanship that surprised me and by his quick exit I suspect the fleeing Red-Tail too!