I mean like someone hitting it with baseball glove kind of sound. A big thud type of sound. Its a wonder my window wasn't broken it was that loud. It appears the hawk flew in towards the house and hit the dove as it flew across in front of the window. I would think the hard impact on the glass may have contributed to its death as well as the hawks beak bite to the skull.

I got over right away to see what had hit the window as we get birds frequently flying into the window panes here. Mostly cardinals and cat birds with an occasional wren.

I looked out to see this hawk covering over this struggling dove. I ran outside quickly to see things better. That hawk didn't want to give up its kill even with me so close. It flew off a few yards and watched me a little while. I knew it would come back to get the dove. I did move the dove out away from the house a little to get a better position to get a couple photos out of the window..
The hawk flew out of site for a few minutes but returned to sit in a nearby tree. It made a couple of passes over the dove in an attempt to pick it up but didnt succeed at first.

I waited patiently by the window with my camera ready. It finally came back and landed on the downed bird and snatched it up. It flew off just a couple of feet off the ground to about 30 yards away across the drive and had it dinner as shown in one photo.

This window has lost its nitrogen content over the years and it is a bit foggy due to the moisture between the panes. I did get a few photos but they aren't as clear as I would have liked. I believe this is a coopers hawk. We have several of them here as well as sharp shinned hawks. No doubt our bird feeders are a popular area for these hawks. I find feather puffs often as I walk our back yard over the winter. Everything needs to eat.

Good story and shots !

I had the same thing happen a couple days ago, with my resident Pygmy owl !

He didn't hit the window, but caught a Hairy woodpecker, and I saw it struggling in the snow and trying to fly up, with something bundled underneath it. I couldn't tell what it was, and went out to see better. As I drew close, the owl let go and they flew off.

I felt badly about that, and if I had it to do over, I would have stayed in and watched . My wee owl works hard for his meals, and that bird would have fed him a long time. Later he came back, landed in the same spot, looking for his catch....

I later trapped a deer mouse and left it in the clearing for him .

Good capture of what happened, Bob

I was doing dishes one day and watching a dove doing his thing in the gravel along the road. Then all of a sudden I see this hawk zero in and hit him and fly off all in one motion. There was a blast of feathers and he was gone.

Very cool..but can't help wondering why a trapper would repeatedly call a dove a pigeon.

Most if not all hawk and owl kills in my experience will be recovered by the birds if the kill is left alone after a kill is interrupted by something or someone.

I have seen great horned owls kill large cottontails on our place over the years. One occasion I was coming home after dark from running my line one day and in the middle of my drive near my facility was a owl sitting over a freshly caught but still kicking rabbit.

As I approached closer I could identify what I was seeing in the headlights. The owl flew off as I neared. After parking I walked back to the rabbit it was still alive but in shock it appeared. I carried it off to the side of the gravel drive into the yard a few yards.

I went back to unload the days catch from my truck which only required a few minutes. When I walked back to check on the rabbit it was gone. Geez that owl was gutsy which told me it didn't want to loose the rabbit to another predator. He had to grab it during my carrying sessions back and forth to my shop. I never saw or heard it. Magic.... you say? Slight of hand maybe.

I knew what the bird was and I did refer to a dove on occasion in my description but I did incorrectly refer to it a few times in my narrative as a pigeon. I did make the correction however so as not to face further criticism. You wait until you get old see how you do things. LOL At least I described it as a bird.

Sorry, Bob, but that was my least wise guy way to point it out. lol

Its all good. I was getting ready to broil some pigeon breasts for dinner. Can I use that for an excuse?

I guess I better get back on my meds. I stopped taking them since I cant tell the difference between my get friendly meds and my Dementia meds. An honest mistake. Darn bottles look similar and so do the pills.:)

When I can't spell or describe things correctly or I cant go out in public for 4 hours after my meds I know when I made a mistake.

Very cool Stuff Bob! I enjoyed it with the photos.

You reminded me of a cartoon I have that fits perfectly with what you described ...I didn't draw it, and I cant post it here , lol

That was great! Nothing like capturing the moment.

Predators doing what they do.. Cool stuff.. Thanks for sharing..

Bob reading this brought me back about 40years ago , I was Quail hunting near a marsh and the edge of a field when i busted a covey of quail , I shot a single bird and before he hit the ground a hawk flew down and scooped him . I stood there stunned . I was surprised at how fast they are.

A lot of people call doves wild pigeons.

The Kill site area from outdoors. If you look closely in about the middle of the bottom window there is what seems to be some sort of yellow splat stuck to the glass. It is about the size of a nickel. It is very evident from the inside looking out. I believe it is fecal matter from digested corn from the dove. This may be where the phrase applies to describing getting the "S__T " knocked out of you literally occurred..



Photo below is where the hawk had lunch. It appears that most if not all of the wing flight and body feathers were pulled out with nothing other than a few pieces of whole corn with a few specks of red tissue etc. that is left for some other unsuspecting bird to pick up. I guess that is what we call recycling.

I suppose we wont have many birds at the feeder for a few days. That always seems to be the pattern after a kill close by.



This photo shows the distance the hawk could carry the kill to feed in peace. The window to the far left corner of the house is the one they hit. I saw it fly off the feed site after a while carrying what little was left to finish in a tree I assume down in the woods.

I had to let my 3 dogs out during the hawks feeding. It didn't seem too concerned with them being near it. It kept an eye on them and continued to feed.



I do hope I am not offending anyone with these graphic photos as part of natures food chain in real time applies here. I should have posted before that these photos are for mature audiences only with an R rating.

If they are not appropriate please advise and I shall delete them.

Great stories and photos.
I used to see pigeons doves and sparrows fly into windows but have never witnessed a hawk attack. I would have to wash the windows and remove said bird.

Nice photos and story Bob .

Great photos. Looks like a Merlin falcon to me. Used to be aptly called Pigeon Hawk many decades ago.

Rubee is correct, the "hawk" is actually a falcon....a Merlin. (aka "Pigeon Hawk", as Rubee also stated.)

I looked up some photos of a Merlin hawk. It sure looks like the hawk I posted. Amazing birds to watch in action.

It hit that dove hard and fast. I don't think it really knew what happened to it. I ran out as soon as this all happened and that dove was already dead. Talk about an efficient killing machine.