Got’ em…
That hawk is not messin’ around here.
Speaking from my experience, it is one of the most shocking things seeing a hawk coming straight for your head. It’s one of those “what is happening” moments.
Thankfully for me, I was able to hit the ground before getting nailed by one.
Hawks are one cool bird, though. Strong, fast, smart… they are predators that use their skillset wisely and are often very successful with their hunts. They soar high in the sky or perch up in a tree and wait until they see their prey, from a distance they swoop down and hammer them with power and precision. Their razor-sharp talons make light work of their prey generally.
They usually only attack things they can eat. Except during nesting season, during this time they can be highly defensive of their nesting sites and will defend them.
Apparently in Austin, Texas it’s a problem according to this post.
It’s nesting season and an awful lot of hawks seem to be right in town.
This woman, Stephanie Federico, was taking a video of a hawk at their nest when she got dive bombed and nailed by the hawk. The video she took shows it coming down and nailing her right in the head.
She recalls the crazy incident in the post.
“I was just shaken and then just like in a total state of shock, but also laughing at the same time because it was bizarre”
“He pecked me twice on the head, but it was very clear he was trying to go for my eye”
“There were claw marks around my eyes, and one of my eyes got bruised in the corner.”
Going straight for the eyes… crazy.
Don’t mess with a nesting hawk.