Note: the text originally called the predator a Cooper’s Hawk, but it was pointed out that it looks more like a Northern Goshawk, so the text was amended.
Dan Reibin watched the drama unfold in the rain: An juvenile Northern Goshawk captured and ate a female Mallard Duck (three pictures, below).
Dan Reibin’s pictures are used with permission.
Bon Apetite.
That is an amazing set!
Very fine photos of an effective predator. I concur with the identification as being a Goshawk. I suspect even a hungry Cooper’s Hawk would not tackle a mallard as I doubt it could carry it off of the water to a dry plucking site.
Rick, Dan has watched the sequence a few times: Mallards are feeding on his lawn; The hawk arrives and pins down a thrashing duck; The duck expires and is eaten on the spot.
I’ve enjoyed hawks since I was little. In fact, they trained me to look up and see the majesty! This is a great series illustrating hawk’s nature.