Rat: It's what's for dinner

I caught up with red-tailed hawk, Christo, as he was hunting for dinner in Tompkins Square Park. Just before sunset, he nabbed a huge rat behind the restrooms.

I like to think he took his catch to the birdbath to wash before eating, but he was likely just getting in a better position to fly.



Look at the size of that rat! Christo usually goes for the smaller ones, but recently he's been catching meals big enough to share with his mate, Amelia.



Christo took off with his heavy haul, zipping right past an observer.



Posing with his trophy:





I couldn't get over the size of the rat. I see young hawks go for big prey, only to realize they can't carry it far. As Christo has gotten older and more precise with his hunting, he usually goes for the smaller, easier to handle rats, so this was a surprise.





After eating his share, Christo took the rest to Amelia who waited in a tree on the other side of the park. They will share meals like this during the breeding season.

 

More to come.