31 Cool Bird Facts #5 – Harris’s Hawk

by The Birdfreak Team on October 5, 2008

in Birding

Harris’s Hawks are colorful, desert denizens that have one of the most peculiar behaviors. Known as ‘stacking’, two or more of these gorgeous birds perch atop each other, often on top of a cactus, in order to search for prey. The reasoning for this is mostly due to a lack of perches in the desert, but we speculate that it also may help the family group of hawks stay in better hunting position.

Harris's Hawk

Tagged as: Harris's Hawk

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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Lana October 5, 2008 at 4:38 pm

Wow…that “stacking” sounds so interesting!

2 Klaus October 5, 2008 at 6:45 pm

That indeed is interesting!
great capture, too! Is that a snake he captured or a cable hanging around?
Cheers, Klaus

3 Daniel October 7, 2008 at 10:10 am

Thats a cool bird, down here we find them mostly in wetland habitats….the first time I saw a Harris i went like: “wow what the hell is that!!!” (I was a very VERY novice birder back then)

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