Birding/red-tailed hawk

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Expert: - 1/21/2007


Question
Do hawks see in colors?  Do they associate color with prey?Is there any particular color for clothing that I can use on my Yorkshire terrier that would keep the red-tailed hawk that has started hunting my property from viewing this small dog as prey?
Thanks (in advance for any advice)

Answer
Hawks do see in colors. They do not associate particular colors with prey. A Red-tailed Hawk is extremely unlikely to attack your Yorkshire Terrier. They eat rodents, grasshoppers, snakes, lizards, and similar sized things. Maybe a helpless new born Yorkie, but a two-three pound Red-tailed Hawk is highly unlikely to be able to carry off a full grown Yorkie. If the Yorkie wanders alone in the woods he might be mistaken for prey but in a fenced yard, he's safe. Roger Lederer

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Roger Lederer

Expertise

Any and all about WILD birds - the science of ornithology. Information about birdwatching, ecology, conservation, migration, behavior, banding, rehabilitation, feeding, songs, binoculars, identification, and careers in ornithology. No questions about pet or caged birds, please.

Experience

Have a PhD and over forty years as a professional ornithologist - research, teaching, author, speaker, webmaster of Ornithology.com . Have written thirty scientific papers, three bird field guides, a textbook in ecology and two recent books entitled "Amazing Birds" and "Birds of New England". Have traveled to over 90 countries watching birds.

Education/Credentials
PhD in Zoology/Ornithology; Emeritus Professor of Biological Sciences; former Dean of the College of Natural Sciences at California State University, Chico

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