Why a Red-tailed Hawk would choose to attack a sub-adult Bald Eagle is a mystery. The fight would be uneven as the eagle is four times the weight of the hawk. Nevertheless, the hawk repeatedly dived at the eagle.
The eagle’s final defence is shown as a composite of four images. Each shot contains a pair of birds. The hawk descends on the diagonal from upper left to lower right.
1. The hawk dives on the eagle.
2. The eagle begins a loop.
3. Now flying upside down, the eagle displays its claws.
4. The eagle completes its loop and, with claws extended, approaches the hawk from above.
The hawk left with dispatch.
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