Holy CRAP! Red-tailed hawk swooped down on my little dog today!

[Anonymous]

He's about 12 pounds - a yorkie/poodle/jack russell mix. It came about 6 feet from him overhead and veered back up when it saw me and our larger dog. We were in the front yard. We've lived here 15 years and first time I've seen this happen, though we see hawks frequently (I'm out in Great Falls).

I've heard the hawk call out to it's partner (presumably) frequently lately and wonder if they have a nest nearby or are actually stalking my little dog. He's never out alone, always close in the front or back yard, and right near my larger dog and I or my husband. Will put him on a leash from now on (he's afraid of it, believe it or not) and keep him closer.

Scary stuff!!

[Anonymous]

My aunt and uncle always had to watch their little dogs when they were out in the yard as the hawks would try and snatch them up. Definitely keep a very close eye on your pup from now on since you know the hawks are around.

[Anonymous]

OP, I'm so sorry! That's scary, and I'm glad you were close by! We had a large hawk on our fence the other day. Although I didn't see it, our lab did and rushed towards it. I've never seen a hawk spread its wings that fast and fly away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'm so sorry! That's scary, and I'm glad you were close by! We had a large hawk on our fence the other day. Although I didn't see it, our lab did and rushed towards it. I've never seen a hawk spread its wings that fast and fly away.

Give your dog a pat for me. I could've used him

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My aunt and uncle always had to watch their little dogs when they were out in the yard as the hawks would try and snatch them up. Definitely keep a very close eye on your pup from now on since you know the hawks are around.

Vet told me anything over 5 lbs was safe. Guess not

[Anonymous]

You have to watch out for the owls. They went after our 14 pound dog on a night walk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My aunt and uncle always had to watch their little dogs when they were out in the yard as the hawks would try and snatch them up. Definitely keep a very close eye on your pup from now on since you know the hawks are around.

Vet told me anything over 5 lbs was safe. Guess not

No they can fly away with a max wieght of about 10 pounds, but they can kill or injury a much larger dog...or cat.

[Anonymous]

I see hawks and falcons in our neighborhood. I am terrified one will get my cat one day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I see hawks and falcons in our neighborhood. I am terrified one will get my cat one day.

Fair payback for all the songbirds killed by people's outdoor cats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have to watch out for the owls. They went after our 14 pound dog on a night walk.

A great horned owl will eat a big fat raccoon.
We have one here in the Moco suburbs and he coughed up two opossums that used to wander through our yard .
My neighbor called me hysterical thinking it was one of our pets but if you looked at the bones it they were clearly
Opossum bones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see hawks and falcons in our neighborhood. I am terrified one will get my cat one day.

Fair payback for all the songbirds killed by people's outdoor cats.

Humans have killed a billion more songbirds with their homes with windows, and offices everywhere with the lights on all the time.
If you and your home went away there'd be a ton more songbirds - how about that?

The biggest killer of bald eagles is cars. Who drives those I wonder?

[Anonymous]

Since we're discussing birds of prey peregrine falcons eat other birds while diving at 60+ mph . Anyone else find some of the carnage in their yard?
Bloody bits of pigeon ?

[Anonymous]

We saw hawks circling our neighbor's little dog once. Thought for sure that one of the birds was going to swoop down and grab that pup. Scared me.

I told my husband about it at the time and he laughed and said "No way would a bird try to grab a dog like that". I'm not so sure about that. Glad your little dog is o.k, Op.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see hawks and falcons in our neighborhood. I am terrified one will get my cat one day.

Fair payback for all the songbirds killed by people's outdoor cats.

Humans have killed a billion more songbirds with their homes with windows, and offices everywhere with the lights on all the time.
If you and your home went away there'd be a ton more songbirds - how about that?

The biggest killer of bald eagles is cars. Who drives those I wonder?

+1 Cats will be cats. Humans on the other hand . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have to watch out for the owls. They went after our 14 pound dog on a night walk.

A great horned owl will eat a big fat raccoon.
We have one here in the Moco suburbs and he coughed up two opossums that used to wander through our yard .
My neighbor called me hysterical thinking it was one of our pets but if you looked at the bones it they were clearly
Opossum bones.

My parents had a cat carried off by an owl years ago.

He was a mean watch cat type alleycat with claws and managed to fight off the owl somehow. He came back a day or so later very beat up but still alive.

Owls are incredible birds.