Kayoko Yoshikai

“Awesome” photo Red-Tailed Hawk

A kingbird rides bareback and harasses a red tail hawk

I find nature is so amazing. This photo proves that little birds can be so gutsy over a big bird like the red tail hawks.
I watch this very often over the canyon cross from where I live. The Red tail hawk fly gracefully circling over the canyon , then comes 3-4 little birds dive-bombing fiercely the hawk to protect their families. The red tail hawk give up the target momentary escape to up and up to higher altitude away from little birds. Nature co-exist perfectly.

A kingbird rides bareback and harasses a red tail hawk

Highly territorial, the kingbirds felt the hawks were intruding on their space, said Gaines, a Westminster scientist at Bonny Lake State Park this summer.

The hawk, which is not a predator of the kingbird, flew as fast as it could from the kingbird. For a moment it appeared the kingbird had stopped attacking. But then it began the pursuit again and — to Gaines amazement — landed on the hapless red-tail’s back.

“He rode the hawk for 25 yards. The hawk was not trying to fight back — it was just trying to get out of there,” said Gaines.

As the kingbird rode bareback on the hawk, it pecked away at the hawk’s head.