That’s a wild one to witness.
Something truly once-in-a-lifetime. Any time two species that don’t generally interact have a wild encounter, there is sure to be something amazing happening.
Barn owls are nocturnal birds of prey that are known for their distinctive heart-shaped faces and haunting calls. They’re not very large, with an average weight of only about a pound, but they are killers of the night with outstanding vision and hearing in the dark.
This mixed with the silence of their feathers makes them nearly impossible to get away from when they attack their prey.
Red-tailed hawks are diurnal birds of prey. Larger in size, at about 2 and a half pounds, they are known for their distinctive red tails and their habit of soaring high in the sky. Red-tailed hawks feed on a variety of prey, including small mammals, reptiles, and birds. They are also known for their aggressive territorial behavior and will often defend their territories from other birds of prey.
While barn owls and red-tailed hawks may occasionally compete for the same food sources, they generally do not interact directly as predators. Barn owls and red-tailed hawks can sometimes come into conflict when they compete for nesting sites, as both species are known to use cavities in trees for their nests.
That doesn’t mean it is common though.
This man got to witness the spectacular as he walked up on a hawk and owl tangled up in each other. His dog also got to witness a talon to the face when the curious pup tried to get in the way of the fight.
You can see at the beginning of the video, the hawk grabs the dog by the snout with its talons, but eventually lets go.
Meanwhile, pair of birds are latched onto to each other, both staring up at the man as he approaches. They screech and don’t let go.
He described the wild scene:
“This morning barn owl attacked by a hawk right in front of me. I was walking my dog and right before me barn owl was attacked by a hawk and strike down from a palm tree.
“I saw everything in real action and I wish I had my camera at that moment. In this short video, you will hear how owls cry for help. I never knew they scream like this.”