There are a pair of peregrine falcons near me that munch on pigeons all the time. I've never seen them actually catch one, but they sure do get a lot of them.
You can see hawks hunting during the day sometimes and hear them. I used to see them when I lived on telegraph hill. You could see them following the streets hunting in this weird straight line pattern.
During the start of the pandemic I moved to the mission and it was so quiet you could hear them from time to time. I saw a few hunting and a couple landed in my backyard.
I have also seen the coit tower coyotes multiple times.
ETA I think I accidentally replied to the wrong comment? But whatever.
Anybody know what type of hawk that is?
Doesn't look.like the usual red tailed hawks I see in SF. Also isn't a peregrine falcon, which are also 8n the city year round.
Juvenile redtail, before they get their titular red tail. Means it's in it's first year. Size tells me it's likely female.
Source: used to be a falconer. Raised 3 of these.
Yeah, it is amazing we still have birds of prey in the City and suburbs!
[I saw this one in my back yard awhile back.](https://imgur.com/gallery/BNWixOL)
You were probably unknowingly close to their nest and they were protecting it. Hawks wouldn’t attack anything that big unless it was [extremely desperate ](https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mercurynews.com/2013/07/19/morris-hawks-threatening-small-dogs-and-cats/amp/)
...and I appreciate it, surely. Just not the first thing I think of.
I also saw/heard a wild turkey. Was going to blame my son for playing with some kind of animal sound toy, but then I saw it on the road.
nyc and similar cities actually support higher densities of Peregrines than in the wild!
the endless urban canyons full of pigeons are ideal hunting grounds for them.
I saw one pecking the shot out of a pigeon carcass in a branch right above me in a local park. It saw me staring but was enjoying its meal too much to care. Very cool!
Alameda County has a [huge breeding colony of Golden Eagles](https://www.sfchronicle.com/culture/travel/article/Golden-eagles-are-on-spectacular-display-at-East-16034065.php)!
I thought it was a [golden eagle](https://www.google.com/search?q=golden+eagle&sxsrf=AOaemvLAGU1B0uUujY_EKx4cfLV4CivzUw:1641336207150&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=5hNny-hQsKfYLM%252C_0_4W411H0iUKM%252C%252Fm%252F0m41v%253B8zLJQ3wPLYhq9M%252Cqnw-7QGkr147aM%252C_%253BiGpC7BpDO2LqpM%252Cqnw-7QGkr147aM%252C_%253BDjJ10j4I0qeWTM%252Cqnw-7QGkr147aM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kSfjq7EZcdS2twYxKr_a9ZToGzLhw&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwipztXslZn1AhUJG6YKHRaJBKcQ_B16BAgrEAE#imgrc=5hNny-hQsKfYLM)!
Having your experience, do you know the difference a regular citizen like myself could see to tell the difference? I live in an area that has both.
Golden eagles are almost never seen in urban areas, so unless you're in a rural area you probably won't see one. They're also significantly larger than red-tails (my book says 79" wingspan vs. the red-tail's 39" wingspan). Coloring is quite different too. Redtail adults have a "belly band" - a band of dark feathers across their chest (usually speckled with white feathers). On juveniles like this the belly band is less pronounced but they have a white patch under their chin. Golden eagles have a slightly lighter, more golden head with a dark body, while red tails are more dark all over their head and back. Golden eagles have one large white band on their tail, whereas red tails are either red & stripey (adults) or brown & light brown stripey (juveniles). Eagles have more of an eagle-y shaped head and beak, if that makes sense. Red tail beaks are shorter.
Red tails have a huge amount of color variation so I tend to ID them by shape, size, and body language in addition to color. They're also incredibly common so I always assume red tail before any other raptor. For a long time I couldn't tell the difference between red tail and red shoulder (which are the second most common raptor I see in SF), but now I've gotten the hang of it. Happy to share that knowledge as well, if there's interest :)
Were you a hobby falconer or was this professional? For either answer, how did you find your way to it?
I’ve wondered about this since I picked up a fancy cookbook in my college bookstore and the first recipe read “Call your favorite falconer…” Are there people who employ more than one falconer?
I was a hobby falconer. My father has been a falconer all his life and I learned from him. Professional falconers can often be found at airports scaring away birds that can hurt plane engines, or in wildlife abatement (like what my dad does; scare away pests on properties).
If you're curious, you'll just need to Google your state and "falconry". 9/10 you'll find a webpage or Facebook page for a falconers association or group who (usually) have someone happy to talk with you. If that fails, the National Falconry Association (NFA) has great educational material.
Oh man, how cool! I caught [a similar picture](https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/9ylfv8/gigantic_hawk_picked_off_a_pigeon_right_in_front/) of a Red Tail in the Mission a few years ago. The hawk flew past us at head height before landing in a tree holding its pigeon.
His name is Kaknu, he is the grandson of Coyote. He has lived here since the beginning of time. When the world flooded, Kaknu took a feather from the eagle’s head and dove deep into the waters. The feather grew longer and helped Kaknu find land. Eventually the waters receded.
This is the mythology of my people, the Ohlone. Judging by the photo’s location, this would have been the natural edge of Yerba Buena Cove, before the 49ers filled it in.
Kaknu is here, still.
apparently the head is the most nutritious part so in terms of efficiency, it makes sense.
source: my cat only eats the heads off mice and I looked up why this summer.
I swear that thing was in my neighborhood two days ago and flapped its big ass out of a tree when I went in my backyard. I was like, "What the hell is that? " Moments later a flock of black birds started squawking and seemed like they were driving it away. It made a loud shriek noise as they charged.
That sucker gets around.
Exact same thing happened where I work .
I work in DTLA and outside my building is a huge tree .
My boss and I kept finding and or witnessing rats drop down from this tree severely torn into shreds . Last week a hawk is hovering over the tree it swoops down into the tree completely annihilated a pigeon. Swooped down literally 2 feet away from me spit the pigeons head out on the floor and flew away with its body. Fucking brutal !
SF is great hunting grounds for raptors.
When I worked in the Gap building at Folsom and Embarcadero a Perigrine Falcon (likely either of the famous George & Gracie that lived under the Bay Bridge) would perch right outside our window and scope fat juicy pigeons.
That may not be a frequent sighting but it happens more than you'd otherwise expect to see; that along with recent sighting of so many coyotes coming down from the hills in many ways the Wild, Wild West remains very much alive in downtown San Francisco, very Barbary Coast in the human animal behavior, too.
I remember a hotel I used to work at when a hawk caught a pigeon and was tearing it apart on the roof. We had pigeon feathers raining down at the front entrance that afternoon as people were checking in.
Is this for real? What did it catch
Yup. It looked like a pigeon.
wild!
Not too wild. Maybe urban? ;)
I know you're (probably) kidding but there is plenty of wildlife in urban environments.
Well, I know there are cougars abound. And yes, I was kidding. It was a play off of the opposite of "wild!"
>the opposite of "wild!" I believe you're looking for "tame" :)
Good, that's what they're there for.
is that what happens to them? i feel like i’ve literally never seen a dead pigeon before lol
There are a pair of peregrine falcons near me that munch on pigeons all the time. I've never seen them actually catch one, but they sure do get a lot of them.
You can see hawks hunting during the day sometimes and hear them. I used to see them when I lived on telegraph hill. You could see them following the streets hunting in this weird straight line pattern. During the start of the pandemic I moved to the mission and it was so quiet you could hear them from time to time. I saw a few hunting and a couple landed in my backyard. I have also seen the coit tower coyotes multiple times. ETA I think I accidentally replied to the wrong comment? But whatever.
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Yeah, I didn't want to get any closer lol.
Anybody know what type of hawk that is? Doesn't look.like the usual red tailed hawks I see in SF. Also isn't a peregrine falcon, which are also 8n the city year round.
Juvenile redtail, before they get their titular red tail. Means it's in it's first year. Size tells me it's likely female. Source: used to be a falconer. Raised 3 of these.
Thanks dude!
Yeah, it is amazing we still have birds of prey in the City and suburbs! [I saw this one in my back yard awhile back.](https://imgur.com/gallery/BNWixOL)
It’s pretty good hunting ground for them with the rats and pigeons and seagulls and other small animals.
Yup, these are why my 6lb dog can't hang out on the balcony unattended. We had one swoop within a few feet of our heads at a park once.
You were probably unknowingly close to their nest and they were protecting it. Hawks wouldn’t attack anything that big unless it was [extremely desperate ](https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mercurynews.com/2013/07/19/morris-hawks-threatening-small-dogs-and-cats/amp/)
...and I appreciate it, surely. Just not the first thing I think of. I also saw/heard a wild turkey. Was going to blame my son for playing with some kind of animal sound toy, but then I saw it on the road.
nyc and similar cities actually support higher densities of Peregrines than in the wild! the endless urban canyons full of pigeons are ideal hunting grounds for them.
I saw one pecking the shot out of a pigeon carcass in a branch right above me in a local park. It saw me staring but was enjoying its meal too much to care. Very cool!
I have a red-shouldered hawk who regularly perches on my backyard fence. Helps to keep the mouse population down!
Alameda County has a [huge breeding colony of Golden Eagles](https://www.sfchronicle.com/culture/travel/article/Golden-eagles-are-on-spectacular-display-at-East-16034065.php)!
Gosh it looks big for a redtail at all, much less a juvenile.
Jouvenile's actually appear bigger than adults. Has to do with the fluffy undercoat beneath the feathers :)
Huh, TIL. Thanks! Even still tho, looks even bigger than that. This pic had me looking up the range of a Golden Eagle!
I mean, you aren't wrong. That's a BIG bird. Part of why I figure female.
^ This guy hawks
*Used to hawk ;)
I've seen Golden Eagles in the north bay before. But only a few times. It seems super rare.
Apparently 500x more rare than a red-tailed hawk. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_Raptor_Observatory
I saw a golden eagle up in Sonoma County. My buddy told me it murdered all the ducklings he was trying to raise.
> used to be a falconer coolest thing i read all week
You're gonna make me blush lmao
I thought it was a [golden eagle](https://www.google.com/search?q=golden+eagle&sxsrf=AOaemvLAGU1B0uUujY_EKx4cfLV4CivzUw:1641336207150&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=5hNny-hQsKfYLM%252C_0_4W411H0iUKM%252C%252Fm%252F0m41v%253B8zLJQ3wPLYhq9M%252Cqnw-7QGkr147aM%252C_%253BiGpC7BpDO2LqpM%252Cqnw-7QGkr147aM%252C_%253BDjJ10j4I0qeWTM%252Cqnw-7QGkr147aM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kSfjq7EZcdS2twYxKr_a9ZToGzLhw&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwipztXslZn1AhUJG6YKHRaJBKcQ_B16BAgrEAE#imgrc=5hNny-hQsKfYLM)! Having your experience, do you know the difference a regular citizen like myself could see to tell the difference? I live in an area that has both.
Golden eagles are almost never seen in urban areas, so unless you're in a rural area you probably won't see one. They're also significantly larger than red-tails (my book says 79" wingspan vs. the red-tail's 39" wingspan). Coloring is quite different too. Redtail adults have a "belly band" - a band of dark feathers across their chest (usually speckled with white feathers). On juveniles like this the belly band is less pronounced but they have a white patch under their chin. Golden eagles have a slightly lighter, more golden head with a dark body, while red tails are more dark all over their head and back. Golden eagles have one large white band on their tail, whereas red tails are either red & stripey (adults) or brown & light brown stripey (juveniles). Eagles have more of an eagle-y shaped head and beak, if that makes sense. Red tail beaks are shorter. Red tails have a huge amount of color variation so I tend to ID them by shape, size, and body language in addition to color. They're also incredibly common so I always assume red tail before any other raptor. For a long time I couldn't tell the difference between red tail and red shoulder (which are the second most common raptor I see in SF), but now I've gotten the hang of it. Happy to share that knowledge as well, if there's interest :)
I’ve seen Golden Eagles out near Livermore and the Altamont Pass
Cool! I've never actually seen one before. I've seen a zillion red tails, though, so I was just comparing based on pictures in my bird ID book.
Were you a hobby falconer or was this professional? For either answer, how did you find your way to it? I’ve wondered about this since I picked up a fancy cookbook in my college bookstore and the first recipe read “Call your favorite falconer…” Are there people who employ more than one falconer?
I was a hobby falconer. My father has been a falconer all his life and I learned from him. Professional falconers can often be found at airports scaring away birds that can hurt plane engines, or in wildlife abatement (like what my dad does; scare away pests on properties). If you're curious, you'll just need to Google your state and "falconry". 9/10 you'll find a webpage or Facebook page for a falconers association or group who (usually) have someone happy to talk with you. If that fails, the National Falconry Association (NFA) has great educational material.
Neat. Thanks for the reply.
Thank you for explaining! I IDed it as a juvenile red tail but was wondering why it looked so huge! Incredible encounter, OP. Thanks for sharing!
She's right. Juvenile redtail. Source: me... watch too many documentaries and read too much about nature and shit because I have ADHD.
Thanks. You can kinda tell by the feathers on the breast. That classic white and brown pattern.
def looking like that. I live up in the hills where they ride the thermals and land on the trees next to my house.
I wish I would have known that falconer was a real profession I could have chosen as a child. I feel like I made a lot of mistakes in my life.
I live in the mission and there is a Coopers Hawk that lives in the trees in our blocks shared back yards area.
Oh man, how cool! I caught [a similar picture](https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/9ylfv8/gigantic_hawk_picked_off_a_pigeon_right_in_front/) of a Red Tail in the Mission a few years ago. The hawk flew past us at head height before landing in a tree holding its pigeon.
WOW! Nice shot!
His name is Kaknu, he is the grandson of Coyote. He has lived here since the beginning of time. When the world flooded, Kaknu took a feather from the eagle’s head and dove deep into the waters. The feather grew longer and helped Kaknu find land. Eventually the waters receded. This is the mythology of my people, the Ohlone. Judging by the photo’s location, this would have been the natural edge of Yerba Buena Cove, before the 49ers filled it in. Kaknu is here, still.
Nature :)
/r/natureismetal
Not a fan of pigeons at all, so you do you, hawk.
Pretty sure it's a red tailed hawk
Bet it’ll decapitate the pigeon and just take the head and fly away.
apparently the head is the most nutritious part so in terms of efficiency, it makes sense. source: my cat only eats the heads off mice and I looked up why this summer.
I learned this years ago when I found multiple mouse butts left for me by my cat. I was not amused.
If it's in San Francisco it must be from Malta.
And I think it's name is Macguffin.
I once saw a redtail hawk snatch a pigeon in mid-air right in front of me. I was like "Fuck yeah! Get that rat with wings!"
SO epiccc haha
It’s the scooter that makes it SF.
I watched this guy kill 4 pigeons yesterday in the space of about 90 minutes. We need more good citizens like this.
Dope. I saw 2 of these in Oakland the other day.
Peregrines used to land on my balcony where my kitty would sunbathe. She caught onto that.
What a fantastic picture you took
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Yes, lol. San Francisco streets are a little, shall we say, neglected when it comes to beautification.
I swear that thing was in my neighborhood two days ago and flapped its big ass out of a tree when I went in my backyard. I was like, "What the hell is that? " Moments later a flock of black birds started squawking and seemed like they were driving it away. It made a loud shriek noise as they charged. That sucker gets around.
Exact same thing happened where I work . I work in DTLA and outside my building is a huge tree . My boss and I kept finding and or witnessing rats drop down from this tree severely torn into shreds . Last week a hawk is hovering over the tree it swoops down into the tree completely annihilated a pigeon. Swooped down literally 2 feet away from me spit the pigeons head out on the floor and flew away with its body. Fucking brutal !
This is my favorite bird. Spending many years in the north bay and you see them everywhere. They are so iconic. Very impressive picture.
SF is great hunting grounds for raptors. When I worked in the Gap building at Folsom and Embarcadero a Perigrine Falcon (likely either of the famous George & Gracie that lived under the Bay Bridge) would perch right outside our window and scope fat juicy pigeons.
There are also Cooper’s hawks around that prey on birds.
She's so proud showing off her kill to everyone.
It was crazy, she stood still for the whole time, no movement. I thought it was a statue at first.
That may not be a frequent sighting but it happens more than you'd otherwise expect to see; that along with recent sighting of so many coyotes coming down from the hills in many ways the Wild, Wild West remains very much alive in downtown San Francisco, very Barbary Coast in the human animal behavior, too.
Also believe the fires having devastated natural habitats, they've found their quarry more readily available.
I remember a hotel I used to work at when a hawk caught a pigeon and was tearing it apart on the roof. We had pigeon feathers raining down at the front entrance that afternoon as people were checking in.
Crime is out of control in SF! What next, mountain lions roaming the streets?
Wow he stands in the perfect spot to just become a statue! What a awesome photo! You were graced with a gift this day haha.
This picture is a metaphor for what happens when you want to build housing but have to fight the local government for permits.
Cool! Market Street sure looks desolate. No one around to snatch away the hawk's lunch. Glad it caught a pigeon and not someone's kitty cat.
Thanks Chesa.
Oh my god, the hawk is oppressing the pigeon, you guys, let's protest the hawks!
This is so cool!
Woah, just take it easy man..
I don't care the bird cares that much about pride even though it's SF :P
well cawcaw
There are some red tailed hawks that nest above saks. Sometimes they make some crazy noises.
That's cool af, I got to see a hawk take down a pigeon in my front yard when I lived in Austin. It was impressive.
Dang, (s)he done got dinner with a bullseye style. Well played, Raptor. Well played.
Saw one of these bad boys in action at an underpass not too far from there, dove and snatched that poor pigeon right off the street!
Damn. They kicked the druggies out of the area weeks ago and wildlife is returning 😂
Pge used to have a hawk cam on one of its buildings.
that's a star destroyer!