And Then There Were Three...

Got a real surprise from the Cooper's Hawks the other day. I discovered they will eat one another. As in cannibalism. Sitting out on my deck last week, I heard a cacophony like you wouldn't believe. Knowing the hawks had killed something and were eating it, I grabbed camera and video camera and ran to film the action. I was five minutes into shooting when I realized the dinner wasn't some small, seed-eating bird.

I imagine the conversation went something like this:

MORRIS: "I'm starving."

PHIL: "Me too. What's there to eat around here?"

BERT: "Nothing. We ate all the sparrows."

PHIL: "You ate all the sparrows, you pig!"

MONA: "He ate all the birds. Now there are no more birds."

MORRIS: "Well, there are a few birds, actually" (gives a quick look to Mona and Bert)

MONA (catching on right away): "Say, Phil, you feeling alright? You look a little bit tired."

(Bert, Mona, and Morris begin to skulk towards Phil)

PHIL: "Yeah, I've got this wing that isn't feeling too strong right now, and I really...(suddenly it clicks with Phil)...NO! I feel great. Strong as an ox! Really. Why are you guys looking at me that way? Hey! Move back!"

I think this is about when I heard the commotion. And the result is below. Watch the very brief video only if you like your nature documentaries raw. I have about three minutes of video, but this gives you the basic idea. And yes, the other birds did fight over the dinner bird.