Hawks(Turkey Buzzards?) Tried To Attack My Dog

N

NIGHT CRAWLER

New Member
Sep 5, 2006
2
0
I live in Manahawkin and have an Italian Greyhound which weighs in at 15 Lbs. My wife, our dog and I were in the yard when my wife noticed a hawk flying high overhead. It was just scanning the area and flew over our yard. It looked to have passed overhead. I kept my eyes on it and it slowly turned back and was heading back our direction. I noticed it started to circle over the front yard where my dog was. Out of nowhere came 2 other hawks and they were all circling the yard, but descending real fast in a spiral dive just over my dog.

I was amazed at how fast they descended and how unafraid they were of my wife, dog and I. Do hawks/turkey buzzards normally behave this way? And why would they pick a 15 lb. dog as prey? What do you think would have happened if we were not there to grab her and bring her inside?

If anyone can give me info on this situation and any and all input, we would greatly appreciate it. We will never let the dog out in daylight again without our close supervision. Thanks in advance.
 
RednekF350

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
4,959
3,117
Pestletown, N.J.
Redtails will definitely take puppies.
The woman I bought my springer from in Pa. has a real problem with them.
She has a tent/canopy that she uses with young litters and only lets them play outside under her supervision under the tent.
A 15 lb. greyound probably looks pretty manageable for a hawk from the air.
The common turkey vulture would not be a likely suspect for live capturing a dog.
 
MarkBNJ

MarkBNJ

Piney
Jun 17, 2007
1,875
73
Long Valley, NJ
www.markbetz.net
Heh, you bet. We have broadwings and redtails up here, as well as turkey buzzards. When both of our dogs were small puppies I kept a very sharp eye on them. I don't think they fear us much, if at all, and there's no reason why they should. They were hunted to the brink, but that was many generations ago. I don't think they see our little faces staring up as a threat :).

I once saw my cat in a standoff with two tom turkeys in my back yard. I thought to shout a bit and wave my arms and have them hightail it back into the trees. I shouted, and I waved, and they both turned from the cat and marched right at me with chests out and wings up. All I could think of was that scene from "Finding Nemo" with the two crabs. "Hey! Hey!"
 
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