In honor of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, the team at Fantasy Brawls will be examining the speed and power of iconic predatory birds. No, not the turkey, because they are really not interesting enough to pen an article about, but hawks. Hawks are powerful, agile, and widespread raptors that can hoist prey well above the highest trees in the forest.
Exactly how strong are they, you ask? Let's find out by answering some of the Internet's most popular questions all about those awesome hawks.
Contrary to what you see on the Internet, hawks can only carry up to 3/4 of their body weight. For example, a red-tailed hawk only weighs up to 3 pounds; thus, they can pick up a max of 1 1/2 pounds. So that means, no, a hawk cannot lift a baby, not even a newborn, as most of them tip the scales at 5+ pounds.
Now, if you have little dogs wandering about your yard, you may be afraid of one of them flying off with your beloved pup. Small toy breeds, for example, can possibly fall into the hawk's lifting range. Let's see how likely it is that your pet dog will take an unexpected flight.
It is theoretically possible for your small dog to be attacked and carried away by a hawk, though the chances are slim given the hawk's preference for their usual prey items. It is possible that there could be a case of mistaken identity, however, as some smaller dogs do resemble rats from a distance. But given the super keen eyesight of the hawk, they are less likely to make that mistake than other animals are.
But you should always keep an eye on your dog when it's outside and keep it on a leash. And if you're in an area with many predatory birds, here are some methods for hawk protection for small dogs.
Use a sturdy leash - Don't let your little dogs roam free. Get a decent leash and keep a firm grip on it. Your presence alone is likely enough to deter an aerial assault from a hawk, but to be safe, make sure you have a firm grip on the leash at all times.
Use an anti-raptor vest - This is not as cool as the name implies. Rather, it's a protective shield that aims to prevent a hawk from wrapping its grubby little talons around your dog. I've seen some very radical variants that come with spikes that make your dog look like Bowser.
Use shiny tape - Shiny tape is thought to be an effective means of deterring raptor attacks, as the flashes of light can disorient the hungry bird.
With these tactics employed, you should be able to prevent your dog from becoming a meal in the sky. Though, truthfully, hawks are not the animals you need to be worried about. Instead, the ones that are more likely to swoop up your dog are the bigger raptors, like eagles. Here's a list of birds that can kill dogs.
The golden eagle - If you want to know just how deadly this beast is, head over to our battle simulator showcasing the bald eagle vs the osprey.
The bald eagle
The Great Horned Owl
The Eurasian Eagle-Owl
The Andean Condor
Of the raptors on the list, the scariest by far is the Andean Condor. It can weigh over 30 pounds and has a 10-foot wingspan. Fortunately for us and all the little Teacup Yorkies of the world, this beast prefers to scavenge its food. We've learned that your small dog is probably safe, but what about your cat that often wanders your property? Is he safe?
A hawk can kill most smaller cats with ease. While some may be too heavy to fly off with, their sharp talons, beak, and their ability to launch repeated aerial assaults will be too much for your average cat to fend off.
Cats are tough and possess strong claws and agile reflexes, but it's very hard to fight an enemy that can fly. So, needless to say, you'll want to keep your small cats indoors or follow the same prevention methods employed for your dogs...yes, even the leash! Your cat will hate you for it, but at least they won't be hawk chow.
While we're on the subject of pets, did you know there is an entire discipline of animal raising known as falconry? Apparently, it's an extremely tough thing to get into, and it's the closest activity we'll ever have to real-life Pokemon battles.
Falconry is the process of training hawks and other raptors in the art of hunting. These winged beasts can be used to hunt down invasive species of birds and bring their heads back to their masters known as falconers. This is without a doubt one of the coolest professions around, but it takes years and years of discipline and training to master.
It's not as simple as throwing a Poke Ball at the first wild bird you see.
Hawks, whether domesticated or wild, are amazing, majestic creatures that you should definitely keep your cats and dogs away from. If you love animals and hypothetical matchups, consider subscribing to our newsletter for exclusive content. And, while you're here, head over to see what happens when the cat evades a hawk attack but runs into an opossum in the cat vs opossum battle.
Posted by: Matt Irving on 11/26/2024
