Bobcats and hawks are both stealthy silent predators that hunt from two very different positions. The hawks rule the sky while bobcats are stealthy wizards on the ground. Both tend to pursue the same types of prey, but we doubt these two animals come face to face very often. Which is why this footage shot in Connecticut so interesting. In it, a hawk and a bobcat find themselves in a rare standoff in what appears to be an urban backyard. The hawk spreads its wings and props up its sharp talons to look larger and more menacing while the bobcat tries to get an angle on the big bird so it can get a swipe in with its large paws. In this battle between fur and feathers, it turns out both animals are quite evenly matched. Neither one can seem to get an edge over the other. This is one of those encounters that would be hard to believe had it not been captured on video for the world to see.
According to the video's description, this whole thing started when the hawk attacked the bobcat and pulled it out of the woods by its talons. We are guessing it was a case of mistaken identity with a normal prey item like a rabbit, because this time the hawk's prey fights back!
We have so many questions after watching this one. Do hawks regularly try to make prey out of bobcats? If so, are they ever successful? One would think it would be a tall order since birds are often on the prey side of cat/bird encounters. It makes us wonder if perhaps the bobcat thought it could turn the tables on the hawk and turn it into a meal the way it kept coming back for more. Of course, you could also argue it was simple curiosity that kept the cat from running back into the woods. It seems like the hawk was put on the defensive once the bobcat decided to fight back.
Chalk this one up another amazing animal encounter that we only got to see thanks to the Internet. Say what you will about the web, but it has opened our eyes to some of nature's most amazing sights time and time again. It does make us wonder how often these two species quarrel like this in the wild though. We are thinking it is rare enough to be considered a once-in-a-lifetime event!
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