Saw the strangest thing

Discussion in 'Michigan Non-Game Animals, Plants, and Scenery' started by ESOX, Aug 13, 2020.

  1. Aug 13, 2020 #1
    ESOX

    ESOX Staff Member Super Mod Mod

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    My wife and I were out, I said" look at that hawk." It was flying erratically over a field of wildflowers. As it came closer it looked really odd. it passed 15' in front of us and off popped its hitchhiker, it had a bird riding
    on it's back. We both saw it distinctly. It was a black and white bird, too big to be a chickadee, more like woodpecker size. I have seen birds harassing hawks before, but never riding ones back for a hundred yards.
     
    ESOX, Aug 13, 2020
    ESOX, Aug 13, 2020
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  3. Aug 13, 2020 #2
    finlander

    finlander

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    Film. Pictures. :bouncy: :yeahthat:
     
    finlander, Aug 13, 2020
    finlander, Aug 13, 2020

  5. Aug 13, 2020 #3
    MichiFishy

    MichiFishy

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    Pretty cool! I had a similar experience, caught these a few weeks back. There were four Eastern King Birds harassing this hawk. I had never seen birds actually ride a hawk either, only dart in and out taking jabs, but these birds would land on her back and pluck feathers for up to 5-7 seconds. Only difference from your story, is that this bird never showed a single sign that the birds were bugging her, not a flinch.

    IMG_20200727_105606_538.jpg PSX_20200813_203024.jpg
     
    MichiFishy, Aug 13, 2020
    MichiFishy, Aug 13, 2020
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  6. Aug 13, 2020 #4
    TK81

    TK81 Premium Member

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    Red Wing blackbirds harass the heck out the hawks around our place. Crows and Starlings to a lesser degree. Never seen one hitch a ride though.
     
    TK81, Aug 13, 2020
    TK81, Aug 13, 2020
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  7. Aug 16, 2020 #5
    OH-YEAH!!!

    OH-YEAH!!! Premium Member

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    They’ll ride the hawks to distract them from their nests. Some birds are finishing raising their 2nd broods for the year.

    Cool sighting.
     
    OH-YEAH!!!, Aug 16, 2020
    OH-YEAH!!!, Aug 16, 2020
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  8. Aug 16, 2020 #6
    Martin Looker

    Martin Looker

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    I saw a gul do that to an osprey until he got fed up with it.
     
    Martin Looker, Aug 16, 2020
    Martin Looker, Aug 16, 2020
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