Art

Hovering Hawk

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Birds have a level of control in flight that would make any engineer jealous. This 2021 Audubon Photography Award winning video by Bill Bryant shows off the skills of a red-tailed hawk. On this occasion, the hawk is using strong winds coming off the Rocky Mountains to hover in place. Notice how active his wings and tail are in adjusting to the changes in the wind while his head is perfectly still. With his head still, the hawk can scan the ground for mice and other prey. It’s absolutely incredible to see how effortlessly the hawk is accounting for unsteadiness in the wind here! (Video and image credit: B. Bryant; via Audubon)

A red-tailed hawk hovers on the wind while hunting.
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