Screech Owl preys on SS Hawk !

[Santner, Steven]

	Carl:

	From what I've read, Screech Owls weigh about 7 oz and
Sharp-shinned Hawks weigh from about 3.5 - 7 oz.  Further, Screech Owls
have been known to take birds the size of Ruffed Grouse!!  A small male
sharpie at 3.5 oz would be a good size for a prey item as long as it
could get it from the back and avoid being "footed" by the hawk!  It
still sounds like risky business to me for a Screech Owl to take on a
bird with the weapons a sharpie has.

	Steve Santner

-----Original Message-----
From: mich-chat-bounces at envirolink.org
[mailto:mich-chat-bounces at envirolink.org] On Behalf Of Freeman Family
Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2008 8:02 PM
To: mich-chat at envirolink.org
Subject: Screech Owl preys on SS Hawk !


Hi All,  Here is a link to a short video on U Tube of a Screech Owl 
preying on a Sharp-shinned Hawk recently in Benzie Co.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaDLrEp5D8w

  I would not have believed it with out the photos.  This was observed 
in Susan Zenker's yard (from inside the house). The ss had been 
hanging around the feeder this winter and was sitting about 15 up on 
a bare limb  when it was struck by the Screech Owl. The actual strike 
was not observed but falling to the ground was. I believe that you 
can id both the owl and the hawk in the video. There is a much longer 
video that the u tube one was taken from if you want to contact 
Susan.  I believe it took about 20 min for the owl to subdue and drag 
the hawk under some pine boughs.

Have any of you heard of Screech's preying  on birds this large?

Any questions or comments should be directed to Paula and Susan Zenker
at

pszenker at benzie.com

or comment to Susan from the u tube page.


Carl Freeman

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